The books deals with one of the key episodes in the European intellectual history of the first half 19th - the debates around the essence, the content, and the historical significance of the ancient mysteries – in order to analyze the ways of interaction between the speculative philosophy and historical disciplines (Altertumswissenschaft, philology, archeology) within the romantic paradigm of humanities. This study is focused upon one of the pillar and most influential texts on the ancient mysteries in the romantic science – F.W.J. Schelling's treatise “On the divinities of Samothrace” (1815). The authors carried out a minute reconstruction of the history of the treatise, as well as of the large intellectual background (philosophical, scientific, political etc.) and the institutional context of the Schelling's speech, and retraced the main stages and forms of its reception in philosophy, ancient studies and philology. The book also examines the interference of the speculative-philosophical, historical, and linguistic argumentation in the interpretation of the ancient mysteries by Schelling, and articulates an array of important conclusions concerning the relations between philosophy and singular sciences in the European culture of Romanticism. The monograph resulted in a complete commented Russian translation of the Schelling's speech “On the divinities of Samothrace” (together with the author's footnotes), followed by a series of texts, reflecting the historical background and the ways of reception of this text (selected fragments from the G.-A. Astori's Dissertatio de diis cabiris, 1703; newspaper reports of the philosopher's public intervention in the Bavaria academy of sciences etc.).

The monograph by HSE University Professor Vadim Parsamov explores the ideological origins of the Holy Alliance that ended the era of the Napoleonic wars, discusses projects for eternal peace and concrete plans for the peaceful reconstruction of Europe. For the first time, the "people's war" as an ideological construction of 1812 is considered in detail. Special attention is paid to the Church sermon, in which military events and personalities are projected onto biblical characters. Foreign campaigns dramatically changed the official ideology, shifting it towards cosmopolitanism — so the idea of the Holy Alliance was born. Among European diplomats and politicians, the Holy Alliance first aroused suspicion and misunderstanding. However, during the Congress period, when the ideology of the Holy Alliance took the form of political decisions, the European public moved from bewilderment to criticism. Meanwhile, all attempts to get to the heart of the Russian Tsar's plan, as well as liberal criticism of the Holy Alliance, do not reveal its true essence, which still remains largely mysterious.
The book is addressed to historians, philologists and all those interested in the problems of Russian and European history.

 

The 15th annual analytic report issued by the Institute of Demography, State University — Higher School of Economics (HSE), analyzes the demographic situation in Russia in 2007, as well as the effectiveness of the demographic policy measures introduced during this period. All major demographic processes are considered: population and age-sex pattern dynamics, matrimony rate, birth rate, death rate, internal and external migrations. The analysis is based on the official data from the Federal Agency of State Statistics (Rosstat), international organizations and foreign national statistic services, as well as proper estimate indicators and results of special examinations obtained with the help of this data. A dedicated chapter presents an analysis of the state policy regarding birth rate, health care and combating death rate, internal and external migration.

Addressed to researchers working in the field of demography and adjacent disciplines, decision-makers, state officials of all levels, lecturers and students of humanities, as well as everyone interested in demographic issues in Russia. .

The seventeenth annual evaluation report, prepared by the Institute of Demography of the Higher School of Economics, examines the demographic situation in Russia in 2008 and effectiveness of the population policy imposed in 2007. It considers all of the major demographic processes: the dynamics of the Russian population, marriages, births, and deaths, internal and external migration. The report contains a functional demographic outlook for Russia until 2030. The analysis is based on official data of the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation (Rosstat), international organizations and national statistical offices of foreign countries, as well as proprietary computations derived from these data, and the results of special surveys.

For researchers working in demographics and related disciplines, policy makers, public officials at all levels, teachers and students in higher education humanities, as well as all those interested in demographic problems in Russia.