The article analyzes the contribution of the outstanding modern philosopher, teacher, organizer of science, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, foreign member of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, honorary professor of the Belarusian State University Vyacheslav Semenovich Stepin (1934–2018), author of fundamental works in the field of philosophy and methodology of science, social philosophy, philosophy of culture and cultural studies, which was given the opportunity to construct an era. The main achievements of the philosopher are noted: a detailed analysis of the structure of scientific knowledge, the creation of a holistic concept of its dynamics; discovery of the procedure for constructive justification and solution of the problem of the genesis of paradigmatic samples as part of the theory; analysis of the structure and functions of the foundations of science. The scientist presented them both as an aspect of the internal structure of scientific knowledge, and as a kind of mediating link between scientific knowledge and cultural tradition. From this point of view, he identified in all components of the foundations of science special layers of meanings that express their sociocultural conditionality and ensure the inclusion of new scientific theories and facts in the flow of cultural transmission; development of the concept of philosophical knowledge as reflection on the basic values of culture, disclosure of mechanisms that provide heuristic and predictive functions of philosophy in scientific research: identification and detailed analysis of historical types of scientific rationality (classical, nonclassical, post-non-classical science); development of a concept of types of civilizational development that synthesizes the positive content of “formational” and “civilizational” approaches to the analysis of society. An analysis was carried out from these positions of the basic values of modern, technogenic civilization and possible scenarios for its development were developed. Dedicated to the 90th anniversary of Academician V. S. Stepin.

In the article the role of childhood as a starting point in the formation and implementation of life strategy, the formation of human destiny are analyzed. The importance of the family as a value in modern societies is revealed. The main components and trends of the sociodynamics of the population of Belarus are considered.

This article examines Soviet legislation regarding church property and its implementation during Soviet history. The author analyses in detail the various bills passed by the Soviet government that had to do with the nationalisation of church property. The article begins by examining the first legislative acts passed in relation to church property. These laws were aimed at nationalising church buildings, land and other valuables in order to use them in socialist construction. The author then analyses the subsequent changes in legislation that concerned church property. He examines such aspects as the abolition of religious inheritance, the liquidation of church funds, the confiscation of monastery and parish property, and the realisation of this property through sale, lease or transfer to the state. In conclusion, the author draws conclusions about the impact of Soviet legislation on church property and offers a number of recommendations for further research on this topic. He emphasises the complexity and contradictory nature of the topic, noting that the assessment of the actions of the Soviet authorities with regard to church property depends on the author’s point of view and ideological position.

The article presents the theoretical foundations of the paradigmatic interdependence of contact and areal linguistics. The experience of scientific understanding of the spatial approach to the study of various aspects of language contact allows us to identify a tendency towards universalization of the conceptual apparatus of contact linguistics, as well as the correlation of the latter with the areal interpretation of the dialect landscape. It is emphasized that in the hierarchy of disciplines involved in the analysis of the processes and results of linguistic interaction, contact linguistics occupies a higher position. In this regard, the feasibility of integrating individual terms of this subject area into the categorical plane of areal linguistics is substantiated: the multifunctionality of the basic unit of contact linguistics – contacteme – makes it possible, firstly, to more objectively and accurately qualify complex areal phenomena (for example, when the stimulus for the emergence of innovation emanating from the source language is not equivalent to the result in the destination language), secondly, do not narrow the problem of language contacts to the issue of borrowings and bilingualism. Special attention is paid to the peculiarities of the terminological system of the described scientific fields. A number of issues are considered regarding the definition of the linguistic essence of the key concepts “contact zone”, “borrowing”, “infiltration”, etc. It is established that the term “contact zone” has conceptual significance not only for arealological studies, in a broader context it is included in the system concepts of contactology.

On the basis of musicological analysis of the composer’s text, the most important style representatives of avant-garde music of the twentieth century are considered: dodecaphony, collage and sonorica. When characterizing dodecaphony, we note its new, non-classical features associated with the equality of 12 tones, reliance on the principle of series, meaning a linear concept of music, rigidus determinism and aesthetic infantilism. The reasons for the exhaustion of the resources of dodecaphony as a creative method and its continuity with the musical classics are explained. When characterizing collage, its reliance on the principle of casualness and its close connection with the phenomenon of quotation, presented in the postnon-classical musical paradigm in a hyperbolized form, are revealed. Particular attention is paid to sonorics, containing the intension to beauty and sensuality. Different types of sonoric text are considered, where such parameters as spatiality, hypermultiplicity, and timbricity are emphasized. It is pointed out that the accentuation of colorful sonority led to “monotony of luxury”, the principle of repetition – to excessive constructive simplicity, the timbre side of music – to dull /boring/ sameness of style pattern. The genesis of the phenomenon and its connection with the stereophonicity of sound in temple music is outlined. The aim of the work is to reveal the genesis of avant-garde innovations, the tasks are to show the ways of adaptation of classical principles of music in the musical avant-garde of the twentieth century, represented by non-classical and postnon-classical style of musical thinking. The main conclusion of the work is the thesis – Littĕra scripta manet.

In the ideological and genre key, the current state of the rubaies of Belarusian poets Yauhen Miklasheusky, Uladzimir Lebedzeu, Halina Zahurskaya, Vera Bulanda, Ihar Prakapovich, Ales’ Palynsky, Eduard Dubianetsky, Serge Minskevich, Aleh Hrushetsky, Artem Arashonak, Ganad Charkazian (chargavi), Ryhor Baradulin and Zmitrok Marozau, as well as rubai-like works by Ryhor Baradulin and Zmitrok Marozau (quatrains) have been studied. The works of these authors are dominated by philosophical themes and aphoristic way of speaking. This oriental form organically took root on Belarusian soil and is of great interest to modern Belarusian poets.

The article discusses the features and principles of local government in the digital era. The organizational and legal forms of activity of local self-government in the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation are analyzed. Special attention is paid to the constitutional reform of local self-government in the Russian Federation in 2020. The content of the principles of digitalization, transparency, publicity, information openness in the activities of local government bodies is considered, and the main tasks of digitalization of local government are determined. The author pays attention to the negative aspects of digitalization of local self-government, in particular, he substantiates the position on the trend of convergence between local self-government and state authorities, and focuses on the lack of a criterion for the involvement of the population in the management of local affairs when assessing the digital development of regions. The standard Concept for the development of smart cities in the Republic of Belarus is analyzed, and the content of the “My City” mobile application is positively assessed. The article examines promising directions for the development of local self-government in the context of digitalization, and substantiates proposals for improving legislation. Ideas are expressed regarding the development of the institution of local electronic meetings, assessing the activities of local governments using digital technologies, broadcasting meetings of local Сouncils, etc.