Mikhail Minakov

"Mykhailo Minakov is a leading observer of contemporary Ukrainian, Russian and European politics and society. HIs work is a vital source for understanding the deeper phenomena that drive change-and lack of it-in these states. WIth this book, he has tackled a subject worthy of his talents, and offers a multi-layered perspective on some of the central dilemmas of post-Soviet political culture and social development."-Matthew Rojansky, Kennan Institute "Accurate and balanced account of the most recent history of Ukraine presented by an involved observer. GOod sample of the Ukrainian vision of the phenomenon called 'The Ukrainian crisis'-obviously extends Ukraine's borders."-Prof. GEorgiy Kasianov, Kyiv Mohyla Academy, Ukraine "Development and Dystopia is a philosopher's inquiry into the political processes that shaped the post-Soviet world and a political analyst's search for the philosophical underpinnings of the changes that those processes brought about. BOth of Mikhail Minakov's probes focus on Ukraine, but his ultimate goal is to illuminate the broader scope of the East European transformations. ANyone wishing to delve beyond newspaper headlines and pundits' clichés in order to understand what is really going on in that world can do no better than pick up this book."-Prof. DR. SErhii Plokhii, Director, Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University

Studies in Post-Soviet Ukraine and Eastern Europe

Development and Dystopia

Paul Hockenos

Jerome Krase

Matthew Worley

Gavin Watson

Ross Haenfler

Phil Cohen

Massimo Introvigne

Douglas Kellner

Athina Karatzogianni

Steve Gennaro

Derek Ridgers

Simon McGregor-Wood

Bernardo Attias

Marco Andreacchio

Lucien Oulahbib

Liudmyla Fylypovych

Frederick Lawrence

Nick Ienatsch

Elizabeth Haas-Edersheim

Paul Rhoads

Sanjay Soekhoe

Maxim Lepskiy

Avi Nardia

Iryna Lopatiuk

Marco Trovato

Costantino Slobodyanyuk

Vitalii Lunov

Vladimir Skvorets

Federico Roso

Igor Kaprysin

Eduard Boyko

Maria Kulyk

Aimar Ventsel

Oleg Maltsev

Collected Papers of the International interdisciplinary conference “Sketch a subculture” Subcultures can be so tightly integrated into the contemporary person's daily life that they have become almost indispensable and ubiquitous. Family, job, agreements, responsibilities and negotiations are one thing, but, let us say, skydiving, or riding a bike in the company of motorcycle enthusiasts is a different thing—no less an important part of one's life. The current state of affairs is that almost everyone on this planet belongs to some subculture in one way or another. This another, natural part of one's lifestyle for pleasure is not always considered a "subculture," but the heart of the matter does not change because of this. To the point, a person might be a part of more than one subculture, and at the same time know nothing about what it may lead to; they may know nothing about the possible scenarios, goals and intentions of this environment. Even the most attractive and "mysteriously" formulated idea (for example, attaining Nirvana) remains something inconceivable, for what is "Nirvana," and how to understand that this state has been achieved is unknown. The idea has no explanations, no criteria and no parameters. And yet, this does not stop people from pursuing ideas as such. Many voluntarily strive for something they know practically nothing about. Why are subcultures so attractive? Why have they become magnets to researchers, professionals and business persons, among all others? These and many other questions require innovative approaches and an unbiased dialogue in an understandable scientific language. The International interdisciplinary conference “Sketch a subculture” united leading experts, scientists, researchers, practitioners, journalists, photographers and thinkers for this discussion on 6 different online panels, where the following questions were discussed: 1. Problems of choosing a research path in studying a subculture. 2. Plan of researching a subculture: from the idea to the completion of the research, from mythological and religious to scientific and philosophical worldviews. 3. From mythologemes to ideas as foundational elements of subculture formation. Approaches for researching mythologemes that underlie the philosophy of a subculture. 4. Approaches for studying the hierarchy of subcultures. Can we claim that the hierarchical structure of all subcultures is identical? 5. Ways to explore the attributes and symbols of subcultures. 6. The phenomenon of “Subculture in Subculture” and characteristics of its study. The synthesis of ideas in the subculture, reasons for the existence of subcultures, invisible internal mechanisms that maintain their continuance. 7. Frederick Lawrence’s drawing as the purpose of subculture research. 8. Can we consider a subculture as a machine that shapes a personality? The idea of death and different ways of implementing this idea by subcultures in daily life. 9. Frederick Lawrence’s drawing, the theory of subculture formation, application of prototype method to understand phenomena. 10. Is it true that one idea forms a whole subculture? The pathway in subculture: fatal and successful. 11. The difference between subculture and religion. What are specific elements that shape each institution? 12. Use of religion by other social institutions (business, politics, etc.) for their own purposes. Religion transformation: from divine transcendence to the universal society based on techno-ideological principles.

International interdisciplinary conference “Sketch a subculture”

Yakov Rabkin

Historians, philosophers, sociologists, and archaeologists offer their views on demodernization. The book is divided into three parts dedicated to conceptual debates as well as historical and contemporary cases.

A Future in the Past

Demodernization

Mikhail Minakov

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