Round Table “Methodological Problems of Modern Regional Studies”
The event was moderated by M. Glaser, Professor of the School of International Relations at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University.
The participants of the round table discussed challenges related to formulating and standardizing key definitions that form the foundation of regional studies. It was noted that the lack of agreed conceptual frameworks complicates the development of common theoretical models. The boundaries of regional studies as a discipline and its interaction with other sciences were also discussed. The participants emphasized the importance of an interdisciplinary approach for a deeper understanding of regional processes and their interrelations. Popular methodological approaches, including positivism, constructivism, and critical realism, and their application in regional studies were examined.
The discussion included contributions from O. Volosyuk, Head of the School of Regional Studies at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University; I. Krivushin, Deputy Head of the School of International Relations, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University; I. Kovalev, First Deputy Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University, Professor of the School of International Relations, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University; A. Karneev, Head of the School of Asian Studies, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University, Senior Research Fellow at the ICCA RAS; I. Vershinin, Associate Professor of the School of Regional Studies at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University; V. Makarenko, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for the Study of the Near and Middle East, IOS RAS; A. Kudelin, Head of the Department of General History, RUDN University; S. Shein, Associate Professor of the School of Regional Studies at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University; L. Zeltyn, Deputy Head and Senior Lecturer at the School of Asian Studies, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University; I. Baskakov, Senior Lecturer of the School of International Relations, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University.
The meeting served as an important platform for the exchange of opinions and experiences among specialists in regional studies. The participants concluded that further methodological enrichment of the discipline is necessary and stressed the significance of precise approaches to studying regional characteristics for creating more effective analytical models.