Journal of Political Science: Bulletin of Yerevan University
The Journal of Political Science: Bulletin of Yerevan University is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes original results of fundamental and applied research of theoretical and practical significance in the field of political science, informing the domestic, regional and international political science community about the latest results of political science research. Manuscripts in all areas and methodologies of political research are welcome for consideration. The Journal is open to comparative research and especially welcomes those manuscripts that are based on interdisciplinary approaches to political science issues. The Journal of Political Science: Bulletin of Yerevan University is a public platform for the consolidation and structuring of the Armenian and regional political science network, ensuring the integration of Armenian and regional political science into international political science, contributing to the development of university political science education in Armenia and the region.
Publishing House of Yerevan State University
U.S.-Iran Hostility and the Pursuit of Nuclear Technology Development in the Context of the Global Energy Transition: An Integrative Analysis
This article analyzes the Iranian nuclear program, which oscillates between friendship and hostility between the United States and Iran, threatening sustainable global peacebuilding and energy transition goals. Although research has been conducted on the relationship between the two countries, the results of existing studies have not been integrated to answer questions about the implications of the issues surrounding the Iranian nuclear program for energy transition aspirations. This study analyzes the consequences of hostility between the two countries due to the Iranian political elite's pursuit of nuclear technology, thereby attempting to implement national steps toward a global energy transition. The study hypothesizes that the previously existing hostile relationship between the two countries will influence their preference for nuclear technology as a measure of energy transition. This study uses an integrative analytical approach as its data collection method. The theoretical basis of the analysis is offensive realism, which is applied from the perspective that the desire to maximize power, egoism, and fear of other states are the conditions responsible for the conflict and competition observed in the international system. The survival of the modern Iranian state in the global system underscores the reason for this behavior of political leadership in its relations with other states. In this regard, the study notes that Iran's nuclear issues do not affect the country's desire to use nuclear technology. To acquire nuclear technology, the country must meet certain criteria, including technical, social, and political ones. However, the primary emphasis is on the social and political criteria, including an effective government and a politically stable economy. The study recommends that Iran's political leadership take real and proactive steps to adopt and implement consolidating democratic principles to ensure success in achieving its goal of establishing a civilian nuclear program.
Copyright (c) 2025 Rotimi Adeforiti https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Measuring the Political System Stability of Armenia and Israel from 2008 to 2023: A Comparative Analysis Using the SIPS Model
This article examines the political stability of Armenia and Israel from 2008 to 2023 using the Stability Index of Political Systems (SIPS) model in a comparative context. The article aims to identify the extent to which internal and external factors shape the stability of political systems in small and medium-sized states in the face of a number of regional and global challenges and risks. The comparative analysis reveals that the experiences of both Armenia and Israel reveal a broader pattern: in small and medium-sized states, particularly those located in geopolitically sensitive and security-challenged regions, political stability is primarily determined by the dynamics of external factors. The results indicate that in both countries, external influences, particularly those related to the national security environment, regional conflicts, and foreign policy pressures, had a dominant impact on domestic political processes and institutional stability. In this context, by highlighting the primacy of external factors, the article contributes to the academic debate on how small states ensure their political stability in the face of persistent regional and global vulnerability.
Copyright (c) 2025 Armen Mirzoyan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Legitimacy Beyond Performance: Trust, Accountability, and Executive Authority in Transitional Regimes
The article analyzes the issues of institutional legitimacy in transitional regimes, the effective solutions of which depend not only on the stability of the political system, but also on the level of technical performance. This article examines how the legitimacy of the executive branch is formed through the complex interaction between institutional effectiveness and perceived effectiveness. Based on legitimacy theory and comparative analysis methodology, the article concludes that the performance-legitimacy relationship is mediated by three important factors: trust, accountability, and communication. Despite the governance reforms implemented in the political system of the Republic of Armenia after 2018, including the Open Government Partnership initiatives and anti-corruption measures, legitimacy remains fragile when the above-mentioned mediating factors are weak. The article uses comparative cases from Georgia, France, Sweden, and the United Kingdom to reveal how institutional cultures and political events mediate the effectiveness-legitimacy nexus, pointing to comprehensive governance strategies focused on legitimacy for transitional states.
Copyright (c) 2025 Marina Margaryan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
​​ Homeland, Belonging, and Return: Push–pull Factors of Armenian Repatriation During the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
This article examines both push and pull factors influencing the repatriation of Armenians in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and subsequent full-scale war. Based on secondary analysis of statistical data, sociological research, and qualitative materials, including in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, the study identifies key political, social, and economic push factors driving emigration from Russia and Ukraine, including fear of ongoing war, uncertainty, instability, and deteriorating economic conditions. The article also explores key pull factors attracting Armenians to their homeland, including the desire for a safer environment, cultural and social ties, a sense of belonging, a more comfortable lifestyle, and a desire to contribute to the development of their country. Potential factors pushing for repatriation within Armenia are also highlighted, including an underdeveloped repatriation system, persistent security concerns, economic difficulties, limited infrastructure, limited opportunities for professional advancement, and low wages. Taken together, these findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the complex motivations driving Armenian repatriation in a context of regional instability.
Copyright (c) 2025 Nvard Melkonyan, Yuliana Melkumyan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Nida-Rümelin, Julian, and Nathalie Weidenfeld. 2022. Digital Humanism: For a Humane Transformation of Democracy, Economy and Culture in the Digital Age. Springer, Cham
This book analyzes the various dimensions of digital humanism, taking into account the transformation of democracy, economics, and culture. At every level of modern life, from global politics to everyday routines, the past few decades have seen dramatic changes. In this new reality, critically important is not only the emergence of a new information and communication field that has radically transformed the familiar infrastructure of social life, but also the explosive growth in the pace of change caused by the breakthrough development of digital technologies. In this context, numerous questions arise, not so much related to the experienced consequences of the transition to a digital society, but rather to the continuation of these changes and, more importantly, their unprecedented speed, driven by the radically increased rate of change in the technological and, consequently, social environment. This latter factor dramatically narrows the horizon of foresight and makes even the medium-term future so multifaceted that it becomes almost uncertain. The relevance of this research topic is also determined by the insufficient development of theoretical approaches to international legal regulation of digitalization and digital security in the field of information and communication technologies, the rapid development of the digital environment, and the lack of systemic international legal regulation of relations within it.
Copyright (c) 2025 Viktorya Melkonyan, Narine Mkrtchyan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
In the context of confrontation and military conflict, political transformations occurring in various spheres of public life, processes reshaping these spheres in most Eastern Partnership countries and elsewhere, are taking shape within a global restructuring of global society. These transformations are impossible without the active intervention of the state, local governments, and other actors within the political system, and therefore without the formation of a specific set of means, methods, and new instruments for political governance in developed and underdeveloped societies. Contemporary social realities require a thorough understanding of the resilience of political development in the context of transitivity, which prompts an examination of the existing dynamic imbalance of political exchanges and the asymmetry of political relations in communicative discourse through the prism of asymmetry and symmetry, stability, and sustainability. New demands for changes in the quality of public administration highlight the challenges of studying the nature of interactions between government structures, civil society organizations, the media, and communications. Sustainable political development and the increased social effectiveness of governing institutions necessitate an integrative approach to the legitimization of political change, allowing for the elimination of meaningful sociocultural gaps in the political space. The key characteristics and development trends of the political system in modern global and regional societies reflect the specific nature of transformation processes, representing a complex set of qualitative changes in the structure, functioning, and interactions of the political system with the geopolitical and geoeconomic environment. Political institutions and dominant value orientations simultaneously act as both a condition of existence and a result of functioning in relation to each other. During the process of political transformation, global and regional societies have encountered a number of problems characteristic of countries in transition (high social costs of reform, oligarchic ownership, widespread corruption, and instability of democratic institutions). The transformation of the political systems of the Eastern Partnership countries took place in challenging social and cultural conditions, as traditional components of the value system, established types of political consciousness, and dominant strategies of political behavior to some extent hindered the adoption of democratic norms and the entrenchment of democratic institutions. Therefore, democratic transformations in many countries have been accompanied by a delegitimization of political innovations based on values.
Copyright (c) 2025 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
A Rational-Functionalist Approach to Analyzing Cooperation within the BRICS Framework։ Multipolarity of International Relations and Assessment of its Possibilities
This article analyzes the approaches of rationalism and functionalism to assess the dynamics of cooperation between countries within the BRICS. Such an approach shows that states, as rational actors, enter into cooperation when they see tangible benefits from collective action, in particular, in satisfying common utility needs. Studying the BRICS system from the perspective of this approach requires an assessment of specific practical areas of cooperation, such as economic development, financial stability, and public health. In addition, this requires examining the extent to which the institutional mechanisms within the BRICS system sufficiently contribute to the achievement of common goals. However, in general, the rationalist perspective may not take into account the influence of ideological factors, power asymmetries, and domestic political considerations that shape the landscape of cooperation. Comparative analysis requires recognizing the obstacles of rationalism and functionalism in modern international relations. While the pursuit of mutual benefit is a powerful incentive for cooperation, it is necessary to assess the different levels of commitment and obstacles among the BRICS member states. Thus, this article is devoted to the proponents of calibrated utility rational functionalism, supplemented by ideas from constructivist and neorealist theories to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the complexities inherent in BRICS cooperation. This multifaceted approach allows for a more accurate assessment of the viability and limitations of BRICS interstate cooperation.
Copyright (c) 2025 Franck Jiresert Techa Djoumessi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The Political Hybridization of Middle Eastern States: Iraq as a Case Study
This article analyzes the future features of Iraqi statehood, drawing on hybrid regime theory and a broad understanding of political system transformation. In this context, we assume that post-ISIS Iraq has a pluralistic security perspective (state versus militia), which has led to a second feature: the challenge to the monopoly of violence by the Popular Mobilization Forces. This, in turn, affects the legitimacy of political authority and the state’s defense policy. In the article, using hybrid regime theory, social identity theory, and Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of homology, the authors argue that Iraq is not a failed state, but a country with a highly hybrid political system, where formal democratic institutions coexist with informal networks of sectarian and militarized power. By examining the historical development of Shia militias and their integration into the Iraqi state system since 2014, the article reveals the rise of parallel governance structures and security pluralism. The dual identity of the Popular Mobilization Forces, as a state-backed military force and an autonomous sectarian formation, challenges Max Weber’s ideas of sovereignty and the sociology of the state, blurring the line between legitimacy and coercion. The example of Iraq is illustrative and particularly interesting, as the formation of a new elite took place in conditions of political and sectarian conflict and struggle. Moreover, the emergence of a new elite in the new Iraqi state and Iraqi society occurred simultaneously with regional transformation processes, characterized by global and regional clashes between different centers of power, which, in turn, influenced the hybridization of Iraq’s domestic political processes.
Copyright (c) 2025 Kardo Rached, Jalal Mistaffa https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Stepić, Milomir. 2023. Geopolitical Glossary of the Balkans, Belgrade: CATENA MUNDI, 536 pp. (in Serbian)
This is a review of the lexicon “Geopolitical Glossary of the Balkans” by Milomir Stepić. It was published in 2023 by Catena Mundi (Belgrade, Serbia). It is an encyclopedia that brings together the most important topics relating to the geopolitical context in the Balkans. The contextualization is based on the perspective represented in Serbia. Readers have an important reference work at their disposal, in which they can find information on various entries of regional geopolitics.
Copyright (c) 2025 Martin Henzelmann https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Water Insecurity in the South Caucasus: A Hydro-Strategic Assessment of the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict
The intersection of water security and geopolitical tensions in the South Caucasus is nowhere more evident than in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This article provides a comparative analysis of the hydrostrategic aspects of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, emphasizing the duality of water resources as a source of conflict and a potential unifying force. Control over river basins such as the Kura-Araks River and the Sarsang Reservoir, vital for both countries, has become a top priority for Armenia and Azerbaijan. In this regard, the Kura-Araks River basin, which supplies vital water resources to both countries, has often been the source of confrontation and struggle for control, determining not only military strategies but also economic and political stability. Similarly, the Sarsang Reservoir, located in the conflict zone, symbolizes a hydropolitical struggle, where access to water determines the survival of local communities and regional security as a whole. Using a hydrostrategic approach, this article examines the multifaceted impact of water scarcity, control over infrastructure, and climate vulnerability on the escalation of hostilities. The potential of water diplomacy and the possibility that shared water resources will ultimately foster cooperation rather than conflict between these two regional powers is also considered.
Copyright (c) 2025 Filippo Verre https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The cost of commitment: Understanding the Iran's Intervention in the Israel-Hamas War
Using the concept of commitment trap, this article makes the argument that Iran’s indirect war support to the Palestinian Hamas militant group in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war in 2023-2024 should be explained primarily based on the Islamic Republic’s public commitment to Palestinian armed struggle against Israel. This article explains that the need to avoid the costs of abandoning its commitment to support Palestinian armed struggle compelled Iran to provide military support to Palestinian militant forces in Gaza through using its Lebanese proxy group of Hezbollah group to attack Israel from Lebanon despite the Hezbollah’s lack of preparedness to engage in a war with Israel. Thus, the defeat of Hezbollah in the resultant war with Israel weakened the Iran’s own military defense in Syria against Syrian armed opposition. As a result of this power shift, the HTS-led armed opposition succeeded in overthrowing the Iran-backed Assad government in a short war which also ended the Iran’s military-political influence in the country.
Copyright (c) 2025 Aso M. Ali https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Resilience and the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood Countries: Crisis, Transformations and Policies, edited by Gilles Rouet, and Gabriela Carmen Pascariu. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2025. XXXIII, 617 pp.
This book explores one of the central issues in contemporary international relations and, simultaneously, the confrontation between Russia and the West: the eastward expansion of the EU. Globally, the eastward expansion of the EU holds the potential for the EU to emerge as a new pole of global politics, capable of significantly influencing the balance of power in the modern world. Regionally, the latest wave of EU enlargement, which has included post-socialist European states, could be decisive in establishing a new type of interstate relations on the continent and in determining the extent to which Eastern European and Baltic countries adapt to EU standards and norms. In other words, it could have a direct impact on reform processes in post-Soviet and post-communist countries. For Eastern European countries, analyzing this process is important not only for determining prospects for further development within the EU political system or for the Eastern Partnership countries. This book analyzes the dramatic changes in Eastern Europe following the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s ongoing, aggressive, full-scale war against Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022. In this context, the authors of various chapters in this book examine the economic, social, institutional, and political instability in the countries of the eastern part of the EU.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ashot Aleksanyan, Khalid Khayati https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
At the current stage of confrontation, interintegration mechanisms are a relevant topic of research, driven by the continuing academic need for a comprehensive political science study of the specifics of relations between the EU and the EaP countries, taking into account the cases of Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. Long-standing political, economic, cultural, and human ties have always underpinned our understanding of the need to ensure European security and stability as a guarantee of the well-being of the EaP countries. This understanding is especially important in conflict situations, when the political elite of the EaP countries has consciously and firmly chosen to actively integrate into the European and global community, as repeatedly stated by the political leadership of these countries. Recently, cooperation between the EaP countries, both with pan-European organizations and with individual European countries, has reached a qualitatively new level and is supported by concrete steps in domestic and foreign policy. This is evidenced by the regular holding of important multilateral and bilateral meetings and negotiations in recent years, including at the highest level, within the EU, OSCE, Council of Europe, and other continental forums. The documents and decisions adopted during these meetings have made it possible to begin building a fundamentally new system of collective security both in Europe and in the EaP countries. Furthermore, cooperation between the EaP countries, the United States, and NATO and EU member states, along with a shared commitment to protecting the world from war, military invasion, and threats, significantly contributed to the improvement of not only bilateral relations but also relations between the EaP countries and the West. Moreover, the very fact of holding negotiations on such key issues as ending war and nuclear deterrence once again demonstrated to the world that the EU and the United States truly strive to become equal strategic partners, recognizing their responsibility for the fate of the world and its security. Therefore, the heads of state, politicians, diplomats, and military personnel who were members of the negotiating delegations sought to ensure maximum and guaranteed security for their countries without infringing on the interests and priorities of their allies and partners, taking into account their opinions, wishes, and proposals. During these negotiations, a new model for the negotiation process itself began to emerge, one that could serve as an example and basis for shaping relations between the EaP countries and other states, primarily European ones. This model is not burdened by narrow-mindedness, mutual mistrust, and outdated approaches, but is aimed exclusively at solving specific problems within established deadlines.
Iran’s political factors towards Afghan refugees: trends of ethnonational consolidation and changing priorities of regionalism
The relevance of this article’s research topic lies in the complex multi-polar factors of Iran’s policy toward Afghan refugees. Its significance is predetermined by the scale and nature of Afghan refugees and labor migrants in Iran due to the explosive conflict and political instability. The article notes that, despite a number of ethnonational issues, Iranian authorities still demonstrate confidence that Afghans educated in Iran are already capable of forming a stratum that can play a significant role in the reconstruction of modern Afghanistan. At the same time, it is important to consider the impact of globalization and regionalization on the development of Iranian and Afghan multi-ethnic societies. In this context, we observe how, even despite certain successes of globalization in terms of social and economic progress, these countries are facing fierce resistance to societal modernization; they are retreating, returning to their traditional positions. This resistance appears to be deeply rooted in the very nature of their cultures. This is precisely why, in the current context of the transformation of the global community and the emergence of a new system of international relations, the complex nature of ethnonational processes and the specific nature of relations between Iran and Afghanistan, which are drawn into this process, are of primary concern. The current stage of global development is characterized by the emergence of new values, new orientations, and the formation of a unified social and spiritual global space linking diverse cultures and peoples. At the same time, opposing trends in the search for self-identification in a globalizing world and the desire of peoples to preserve their uniqueness and distinctiveness, expressed in culture, language, religion, and the revival of national traditions, are becoming significant.
Copyright (c) 2025 Armen Israyelyan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
New Political Growth Points for Strategic Cooperation Between Russia and Iran: Sharing Experience or Strengthening Trust?
The article analyzes new political dimensions of Russian-Iranian relations, which are in many ways a unique example of interstate cooperation, which is due to the peculiarities of the international political situation and the interests of the two states. As the most influential states of the Caspian region and having long-term experience of regional interstate cooperation, Russia and Iran undoubtedly lay claim to regional leadership. This determines a fairly extensive set of political disagreements that exist between the two countries. Sometimes these disagreements give rise to an active political struggle, which often involves other Caspian states. The economic interests of the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran also do not always allow the possibility of coordination on a parity basis. An example here is the long-standing discussion about the status of the Caspian Sea and the division of its oil-bearing shelf, as well as the competition between different routes of export oil pipelines. Attention is drawn to the fact that Russia and Iran, being, based on the realities of the geographical and international political position, regional states-competitors, on the world stage often show themselves as allies, developing coordinated approaches to key international problems. In this situation, the general level of relations between the two states is subject to sharp changes, since interactions include periods of exacerbation of bilateral contradictions and periods of close interaction.
Copyright (c) 2025 Garik Keryan, Svetlana Jilavyan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
New Cybersecurity Challenges: Digital Transformation and the Political Implications of their Implementation
The purpose of this article is to analyze modern challenges in the field of cybersecurity and mechanisms for countering cyber threats, assess the problems our country faces in this area, and identify possible solutions. To achieve this goal, the article studies the basic concepts related to cyberspace, considers real examples of cyber attacks recorded in recent years, and studies the experience, legislative and institutional framework of the leading countries in this area. In this context, the author highlights the structural similarities and differences of the countries in question. The relevance of this article is due to the analysis of new challenges to cybersecurity and the growing scale of application of information technologies in all spheres of human political activity. In the era of digitalization, information is acquiring the status of the most important object, a strategic resource of both the state and any management structure in the political management system. In this context, the relevance of the research topic is manifested in the development of the concept of a knowledge and information society developing on the basis of modern information and communication technologies. Information as a strategic resource requires a special state attitude not only in terms of its development and accumulation, but also protection. The article also analyzes the development of new information technologies, which causes an increase in the technological gap between the increasingly complex requirements for information resource security indicators in all countries and the capabilities of information technologies and software and hardware used to ensure information security.
Copyright (c) 2025 Anna Sisoyan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The Transformational Engagement of Central Asia with the European Union: Opportunities and Prospects
The article analyzes the specifics of interaction between the Central Asian countries and the EU, taking into account global changes that have caused a complete restructuring of the previously existing system of international relations. The article pays special attention to the experience of cooperation between the EU and the Central Asian states, with some of which new type agreements have already been signed or are in the process of being prepared, opening up broad opportunities for bilateral cooperation, which has certainly contributed to their political and economic development. The article notes that the EU’s diplomatic representation in the region has increased, assistance has been expanded and cooperation mechanisms have been introduced. In this vein, a new stage of political liberalization and diversification of the economy with a focus on industrial and innovative development can be noted in Kazakhstan. The article concludes that the EU can rightly position cooperation with Central Asia as a model, using developments for other regions and presenting the achieved results as evidence of the effectiveness of European diplomacy. The Central Asian countries, in turn, have significant potential for developing a partnership with the EU in the context of the interests of the entire region, which would meet its new needs and opportunities.
Copyright (c) 2025 Kuralay Baizakova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Dynamics of Russian-Turkish Relations after the Second Karabakh War: New Priorities of National Interests and Strategies of Struggle in the South Caucasus
The article analyzes the dynamics of Russian-Turkish relations after the Second Karabakh War of 2020. Particular attention is paid to the fact that the Second Karabakh War was an important military-political step for Türkiye, since, despite being in a bad economic situation and involved in various regional conflicts, Türkiye still managed to act as a new regional superpower and increase its role in the South Caucasus. The article discusses the aggressive steps that led to the fact that Türkiye, having developed and implemented its strategy, without having the necessary natural resources, having many problems within the country, Türkiye can increase its role on several platforms and even show ambitions to be involved in the global governance system. Türkiye opposed the established international relations at the strategic level, putting forward the point of view ‘the world is bigger than five’. At the regional level, combining soft power with hard power for Azerbaijan, Türkiye violated the existing balance and, as a result, increased its share of presence. This is why Russian-Turkish relations are analyzed in the context of the tactical steps taken by Türkiye, as well as in the context of theories of offensive realism and strategic balancing. The article describes how Türkiye, pursuing a more active policy after 2016, managed to prevent the emergence of anti-Turkish coalitions, balance regional rivals, and, if necessary, enter into allied relations with them. In addition, the work used a political-ideological approach to analyze the ideologies and program goals that determine Türkiye’s regional policy, as well as a resource-actor approach, which analyzes the resource base and the activities of states and non-state actors directly involved in the implementation of the foreign policy of the two countries.
Copyright (c) 2025 Gevorg Harutyunyan, Marut Vardazaryan, Svetlana Jilavyan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Between Patronage and Donorship: Global Gateway and its Vis-a-vie in Eurasia
This article examines geoeconomic leadership as a narrative of the EU foreign policy towards different countries. The article analyses the European discourse of leadership, which is associated with sovereignty/autonomy as the management of interdependence. The ongoing debate has not yet reached a consensus on its exact objectives and scope. However, it describes systemic pressures and competing interests of the EU Member States as the main variables in the leadership narrative in the EU political system. The EU’s Global Gateway strategy aims to improve ties with countries around the world by adopting a pragmatic approach to sectoral cooperation. The article criticizes the Global Gateway strategy as a new approach, but raises concerns about its viability in the Eurasian space. It is evident that the EU seeks to compete with China’s Belt and Road Initiative and other influential players in both the regional and global arenas in order to regain its global position. However, the Global Gateway strategy appears to reflect the evolving discourse around EU sovereignty at the national level. The article provides a comprehensive overview of the Global Gateway strategy in a broader macro-regional context, with a particular focus on the challenges and inconsistencies between the immediate and long-term objectives of EU foreign policy.
Copyright (c) 2025 Oxana Karnaukhova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Transforming Governance in Armenia: From Soviet Legacy to Strategic Reform
This article analyzes the evolution of institutional reforms in the public administration system of the Republic of Armenia since its independence in 1991. In this context, it is taken into account that only the state is able to ensure the co-evolution of management technologies to achieve global goals and strategic objectives of the development of Armenian society. Technological dominants of political transformations, social and economic development require appropriate management adaptation, which is the focus of this study is the correct development and application of the functionality of decision support systems. Therefore, this study considers four stages of reforms: 1) Initial institutional creation from 1991 to 1999; 2) Formalization and adoption of Western governance models from 2000 to 2008; 3) European integration and administrative modernization from 2009 to 2017; 4) Political transformation accompanied by renewed administrative reforms since 2018. These reforms reflect a complex interplay of historical legacies, external influences, and internal aspirations for public administration modernization. Issues such as institutional inertia, limited localization of imported models, and political resistance are assessed in detail. In addition, the article compares these historical reforms with Armenia’s long-term goals outlined in the Public Administration Reform Strategy of the Republic of Armenia until 2030, emphasizing the transition from imitation reforms to sustainable institutional transformation.
The Crisis of Small Towns in Armenia: Territorial Peculiarities and Transformations of the Regional Settlement System
The article summarizes the results of a sociological survey conducted in 2024, as well as official statistical data on the manifestations of the crisis in the regional cities of the Republic of Armenia. The quantitative study was conducted to identify public perceptions of the situation in the enlarged communities of the Republic of Armenia. Based on the analysis, the authors note that the partial deindustrialization of small towns of the Republic of Armenia, which occurred as a result of ineffective public policy, led not only to an economic crisis, but also to a certain spread of ruralism in them. The public policy of enlarging communities of the Republic of Armenia has created new risks in this regard, continuing to reproduce social and spatial inequality between them and the capital and increasing the vulnerability of small urban settlements.
Copyright (c) 2025 Artur Mkrtichyan, Vahan Yengidunyan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Glocal Soft Power as an Instrument of China’s Strategic Influence in the South Caucasus: A New Model of Integration and Geopolitical Consequences
The article analyzes the global and regional importance of the South Caucasus region for China from an economic point of view, primarily as a market for its goods, as an area for investment. Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are part of China’s global bridge to Türkiye and the countries of the EU, which are the most important partners and necessary for China’s rapidly developing economy. In addition, the countries of the South Caucasus have both resource potential and a favorable geographical position with access to the Caspian and Black seas, so China actively interacts with Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. The article examines the issues of China’s soft power, which has begun to conduct active public diplomacy for strategic influence on the foreign policy of the South Caucasus and with the states bordering this region. The main focus is on the implementation of China not only humanitarian projects, but also its economic projects, such as the Belt and Road Initiative. As a result, significant successes of China are highlighted and characterized, which, thanks to the voluntary participation of these countries interested in new investments, in creating an atmosphere of mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation. It is emphasized that, given the current geopolitical and regional realities, the countries of the South Caucasus have the opportunity to become a regional part of Chinese global projects.
Copyright (c) 2025 Paylak Yengoyan, Zhanna Grigoryan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Modern strategic rivalry among countries of the world is associated with a number of factors: territorial disputes and competition for global dominance through regional leadership in various spheres. In addition, many countries perceive as a threat the mutual strengthening of their presence in regions that they consider to be their zones of influence. One of the significant trends of our time is the process of macro-regionalization and consolidation of regions into larger macro-regions based on the strengthening of trade, economic and logistical interconnectedness, interdependence of security issues, and the activation of humanitarian contacts. At the same time, there is an increase in the importance of military-political issues in the context of increased great-power competition and the intensification of international conflicts. In the last decade, political and economic processes in the Middle East, South Caucasus, Central Asia, South Asia, Asia-Pacific and other regions have become increasingly competitively interconnected. This is manifested in both the strengthening of economic interaction and in the growth of military and political risks and threats. The interweaving and, in some cases, even the clash of strategic interests of great, regional, as well as medium and small countries in the emerging macro-regions, gives their study a special analytical and research value. In the articles of this volume, the authors define the features of the emerging macro-region and the type of relations between states in the cooperation-rivalry format, which presupposes the participation in structuring the world order of a larger number of participants, represented not only by great powers, but also by regional and middle powers, and also takes into account the nature of the relations between them.
The Difficult Path of Parliamentarism in Armenia’s Democratic Transition: How does the Separation of Powers Affect Political Responsibility in an Unconsolidated Society?
This article analyzes systems of separation of powers in modern conditions, using Armenia as an example. This case study is of considerable scholarly interest and has practical significance for state building both in Armenia itself and in other states that emerged in the post-Soviet space. This significance is determined, first and foremost, by the processes accompanying the formation of independent statehood in Armenia. The article analyzes the ability of Armenian statehood to respond to the challenges of the times and to establish a state mechanism that ensures the development of society based on democratic principles, which largely depends on the successful development of parliamentarism within the system of power relations. The question of the unity of state power and the separation of powers is a multifaceted issue encompassing economic, social, political, and ideological relations, and as such has always been and remains a subject of political science. An integral part of the complex process of transition from Armenian society to a modern one is the modernization of parliamentary culture, which consists of changes in parliamentary representation in line with changes in the economic and social spheres of society. At the same time, it is necessary, on the one hand, to maintain the stability of parliamentary representation as the most important condition for social development, and on the other hand, to expand the opportunities and forms of political participation.
Copyright (c) 2025 Khosrovadukht Azatyan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Gender Dimensions of Verbal Aggression in Modern Media and Political Discourse: Cult of Violence or Playing with Aggressive Content?
The article examines gender stereotypes and speech aggression in political discourse, reflecting generalized judgments about the qualities and properties inherent in men and women, and the differences between them in the modern information society. This study is devoted to gender differences in the manifestation of aggression in political television debates, thereby revealing gender differences in aggressive behavior, stereotypes and features of linguistic manifestations, as well as communicative strategies present in the speeches and television debates of female and male politicians. This article analyzes the problems of gender stereotypes in the modern information society, the academic significance of which is associated with the need to study the factors of political culture and discourse. In this sense, the analysis of the nature of political power, its resources and methods of its legitimacy have not been sufficiently studied in terms of the role of political, social and cultural discourse in maintaining gender stereotypes and the gender agenda of the modern information society. In social terms, the relevance of the problem is associated with the need to study those resources of political power that do not involve open violence, but, nevertheless, act as an effective means of social control and a tool actively used, in particular, in political struggle. The implementation of a political analysis of the role of gender stereotypes in the modern information society involved studying their properties, content and functions, identifying the conditions and reasons that allow them to act as a factor in political relations and social inequality.
Copyright (c) 2025 Anna Knyazyan, Hasmik Shapaghatyan, Viktorya Melkonyan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Challenges of the European Union’s engagement in strategic conflict resolution in the Eastern Partnership region: The cases of Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine
This article analyses the EU’s engagement in conflict resolution and peacebuilding in its Eastern Neighbourhood, which is undergoing political transformation. The article highlights that, initially focusing on diplomatic efforts and development assistance, the EU has gradually deepened its engagement in response to the increasing complexity of regional conflicts. In the Eastern Partnership countries, the EU has deployed a range of instruments, from political dialogue and economic sanctions to financial assistance and civilian missions, aimed at stabilising the region and promoting long-term peace. The effectiveness of such EU strategies varies in a number of ways, reflecting the diverse political landscapes and challenges faced by each EaP country. This article analyses three separate case studies to examine the EU’s conflict resolution and peacebuilding strategies. Each of these studies provides a nuanced understanding of EU conflict resolution and peacebuilding strategies in different geopolitical and conflict contexts. In this regard, Georgia’s significant involvement in European integration processes is highlighted, which underscores Georgia’s strategic importance for the EU in promoting democratic governance and regional stability. The article also examines the role of the EU in Georgia’s political and security sector reforms and conflict prevention. The article also examines the geopolitical dimensions of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the context of Armenia’s European integration processes and Armenia’s membership in the Eurasian Economic Union. The article analyzes the role of the EU in Ukraine, in particular, after the annexation of Crimea and Russia’s invasion in 2022, which shows a significant shift towards a more proactive and interventionist stance. A comparative analysis of the Ukrainian case provides an opportunity to gain insight into the EU’s strategies to stabilize the Eastern Partnership region, support state-building, and overcome the broader geopolitical consequences of the conflict.
Copyright (c) 2025 Liana Grigoryan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The Impact of Armed Conflicts on Climate Change: Perceptions of Environmental Security and the Search for Ways to Overcome These Risks
This article analyzes the impact of armed conflicts on climate change, as well as the perception of environmental security and the search for ways to overcome these risks. Currently, issues related to environmental security and climate change are becoming a particularly significant item on the global political agenda. Modern societies have already witnessed such global phenomena and processes as large-scale natural disasters such as floods, droughts, fires, temperature fluctuations, and hurricanes; the depletion of vital natural resources essential to society; and changes in such vital indicators as the ozone layer, atmospheric gas composition, radiation pollution, and other dramatic changes in the biosphere. In this regard, this article analyzes the impact of war and military conflict on climate change over the past decade. It addresses the following questions: Do wars and conflicts accelerate the impacts of climate change? Why don’t governments mention wars and conflicts as important causes of global warming? To answer these questions, the article describes the increasing number of climate change events that are correlated with war and climate change. To this end, it reveals the lack of interest of national governments in raising awareness of the impact of wars and conflicts on climate change, and finally, some concluding comments are offered.
Copyright (c) 2025 Nubia Nieto https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The difficult European path to settling Russian-Georgian relations in post-election Georgia in 2024: a rollback on European integration or the unacceptability of confrontation
The article analyzes the trends in the settlement of Russian-Georgian relations after the parliamentary elections in Georgia on October 26, 2024. Attention is paid to how the ruling Georgian Dream party won, as well as to why Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili and the opposition parties refused to recognize the results of the parliamentary elections, calling for civil unrest and protests. The article examines the trends in the settlement of Russian-Georgian relations after 2024 as the beginning of the formation of a new track, which is significantly influenced by historical memory and the Russian war against Ukraine since 2022. In this sense, the Georgian ruling elite actively uses and periodically weaves all this into the modern political agenda, trying to get its domestic and foreign policy dividends. The article notes that the Georgian elite, since the transition of the ruling Georgian Dream party, has begun to create a reality in which a new fundamental historical narrative was formed by returning to the supposedly forgotten past. In this context, the basic actions in implementing this policy are Georgia's transition to a pro-Georgian development course and a demonstrative rejection of its previous orientation toward the EU and European integration.
Copyright (c) 2025 Marut Vardazaryan, Erem Vardazaryan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Resilience of Civiliarchic Democracy in the Face of Challenges and Gaps in European Integration: The Political Dimension of the Index of Civiliarchy
The Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries face significant challenges in achieving democratic consolidation amid geopolitical tensions, authoritarian tendencies and regional conflicts. This paper examines the resilience of civiliarchic democracy as a framework to understand and address these challenges. The study employs a mixed methods approach including comparative analysis and the Civiliarchy Index to explore the interplay between European integration, democratic resilience and anti-civiliarchic forces. To identify the main principles of EU foreign policy in the EaP countries and its normative component, a qualitative targeted content analysis of official EU documentation was used. Additionally, the method of discourse analysis was used to consider the narrative regarding the participation and lobbying from the EU and European institutions and values within the EaP countries, as well as prepare for the negotiations with EU and EU member states for the interests of EaP countries. Europeanization and democratization determine both the political and social prospects for sustainable development of the EaP countries, as well as the hybrid challenges of strategic security and the dichotomy of inter-integration conflicts. The paper analyzes the gaps in European political integration in the EaP countries for the period from 2013 to 2023. The authors rely on studies on Europeanization and European political integration in the tradition of neo-institutionalism, as well as on the resilience of the EaP countries. The findings of the paper imply that the civiliarchic democracy the EaP countries face is thwarted by internal instability, external pressures and shortcomings in EU policies. But EU’s strategic and engagement can in some extent tackle authoritarian trends and improve democratic institutions. Theoretical and practical insight into the concept of civiliarchic democracy and its resiliency in light of the democratization literature is the main contribution of the study. Policy and scholarly implications of the findings in support of improving democratic institutions and further inclusive European integration in the EaP region are suggested.
Copyright (c) 2024 Ashot Aleksanyan, Arusyak Aleksanyan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Human Security in Asia: Interrogating State, Society, and Policy, edited by Debasish Nandy, and Debtanu Majee. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore, 2024. XXI, 346 pp. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-3585-7
This book comparatively analyzes the relationship between human security and national security from the theoretical perspective of the transition from traditional security to human security. The different chapters of this book analyze the structured and organized dimensions of human security that shed light on the economic, food, health, community, environment and political security conditions in Asian countries. The authors explore the theoretical foundations and various models of human security to understand the challenges threatening human security of Asian countries. This book also analyzes the different situations of Asian countries where economically vulnerable and politically unstable and sometimes broken political systems are unable to easily address the problems of hunger, poverty, illiteracy, militancy, terrorism and ethno-religious conflicts that pose a real threat to human security. The book discusses the challenges of health policies in Asian countries in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to a major humanitarian crisis, taking into account the limited role of Asian countries in combating COVID-19. It is important to note that this book develops an interdisciplinary discourse on human security among scholars not only in Asian countries but also throughout the world.
Copyright (c) 2024 Viktorya Melkonyan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0