Vol. 10 No. 2 (29) (2019)

This article aims at identifying the characteristics of the foreign policy behaviour of small states, in particular, the main features and reasons for their peculiar behaviour in the international arena. The author analyses the main approaches to the definition of small states and argues the scientific preference for the use of one of the varieties of an integrated approach. Based on the results of previous studies, he describes the main common features of the foreign policy behaviour of small states, but a reservation is made that the manifestation of these features in practice is situational and contextual. It is concluded that the reasons for the described signs of a peculiar foreign policy behaviour of small states is a combination of a regional security complex and its order, economic development and foreign policy identity of each particular small state, in which the type of regional security complex is crucial.

The article analyzes the main elements of the capacity of Armenia/Artsakh and Azerbaijan based on the methodology of the American School of Political Realism. Particularly, the articles compare the data on military power, economic power, demographic situation and the methods of state policy. We thoroughly observe that although the data are not on the side of Armenia and Artsakh, there is an established balance in the region, as none of the sides act to change the existing status quo power. In this regard, we observe that the real balance will be established only if each of the sides accepts that the change of the status quo by military means will bring more loss than achievements.

The philosophy of major French thinker Henri Bergson had a massive influence on the development of modernist ideology in Europe by the turn of the last century. His approach of challenging positivist understanding of the notion of ‘the West’ was overwhelmingly popular among PostOttoman cultural elites starting by the end of the 1910s. It consequently inspired the development of an alternative conservative milieu in the early days of newly-established Kemalist Republic. Not being politically different from ruling ideology, Turkish republican conservatism stood for the liberal idea of modernity while rejecting European ideological rationalism. The paper touches upon the conservative modernist views of Turkish Bergsonians such as İsmayıl Hakkı Baltacıoğlu, Peyami Safa, Hilmi Ziya Ülken and Mustafa Şekip Tunç.

Currently, digital diplomacy programs are widely used in Armenia, the role of which has especially increased in our country in 2018 during the April events. Social networks became the main platform to coordinate protest actions.
Despite the objective capabilities of digital diplomacy, practical aspects of its development are often viewed in the context of risks and threats. Therefore, ensuring information security for Armenia becomes an essential element of national security.

The article analyzes the process of democratization of society and related problems, which are both local and global. The first are associated with the peculiarities of the cultural and historical development of this society, the second ones are associated with international experience in the application of democratic norms and institutions, as well as with different interpretations of democracy. It is argued that democratization cannot concern only society or only the state, but should take place either from the top to down or from the bottom to up, but in any case affecting all spheres of public life, starting with everyday relations and ending with politics and government. As theoretical models of crisis or problems of democratization, the concepts of “democracy deficit” and “expectations of democracy” are analyzed. These concepts reveal the negative patterns of the spread of democratic ideas and practices in the social reality.

The article examines the issues of the civiliarchic dimension of democracy, identifies the features of the civiliological approach, as well as the importance of regime and power resources for the rational design of the dialogue and partnership between the state and civil society organizations. Based on the concept of modern democracy, important factors of human rights and freedoms, individualism, the rule of law, constitutionalism and liberalism are analyzed, a new definition of the concept of “civiliarchic democracy” is given, its specific features and values are explained. It is argued that the effectiveness, constructiveness and civilicentricity of democracy as the power of the people and as a political regime is realizable based on a civiliarchical mechanism and institutions.

The article examines political participation as one of the basic concepts of research in political science. Reflecting on modern manifestations of political participation, it can be defined as conventional - propaganda, voting, community activities, interaction with the government officials, discussions and debates, etc., as well as widespread and widely applicable non-conventional forms of civil disobedience, protests, demonstrations and other voluntary activities.

The transition to the parliamentary system of government requires a reassessment of the role of “soft power”. From this point of view, the article analyzes the need to fulfill the tools of the “soft power” with bilateral socialization and resocialization. According to the authors, their symbiosis ensures continuous modernization and the sustainability of the socio-political system. As a result, the completeness of the tools of “soft power” ensures the transition to the “smart power”, which allows overcoming the problems that have arisen as a result of the transition to the parliamentary governance in Armenia. In
this regard, the article considers the need to form a political society, as well as the development of a culture of cooperation between the institutions of civil society, political parties and society as a whole.