Comparative culture studies is one of the promising and actively forming areas of the Russian humanities. The development of polar processes of globalization and localization of cultures, ethnocentrism and multiculturalism actualizes the task of studying the cultural diversity of the world. The discovery of common principles of harmonization of the human society and nature in the cultures of different countries and continents opens up new ways to prevent and solve acute political conflicts and environmental problems of our time. Created at the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Area Studies of Lomonosov Moscow State University, the research group brought together staff from various departments of the faculty engaged in holistic studies of cultural practices of the past and present. Special attention is paid to the actualization of the values and conceptual foundations of traditional cultures of the world. Along with theoretical problems, the research group in comparative culture studies is involved in the development and modeling of new forms of intercultural interaction and ways to improve the cultural competence of university and high school students. This is achieved, among other things, by organizing field culture studies in which the students of the faculty take an active part. The prospects and relevance of both theoretical and applied work of the research group “Comparative Culture Studies: Traditions and Modernity” are evidenced by a large number of conference papers and publications. The importance of scientific research in the field of comparative culture studies is due to the urgent need to update the intercultural, interregional, interethnic and interconfessional aspects of modern humanitarian knowledge.

Pictorial and graphic portraits of Mikhail Lomonosov created in the 18th century, during the life of the scientist and for several decades after his death, formed and consolidated his recognizable visual image. It is only natural that these portraits have piqued the interest of Russian scholars. Within a relatively short time of research in the field a long way was covered from a complete absence of any information about the portraits to constructing an impressive knowledge system and an accumulation of scientific interpretations. A domain of investigative issues has been established; a range of questions were asked. Almost every scientist who has addressed this topic tried to find the answers. However, no historiographical analysis of the identified issues has been carried out yet. Neither has the birth of theoretical concepts or the authors’ interpretations been outlined, nor how they changed over time, or how they were often radically revised.

This article presents the first systematized historiographical material, and for the first time highlights the main areas of research issues that were relevant for Russian scientists throughout the 20th–21st centuries. It considers not only the history of existence of the most important theoretical concepts, but the history of individual works, aspects of their interpretation, the existing sociocultural context.

The article considers the new educational and academic discipline “Regional studies”, with special attention to the discipline “Regional studies of Russia”. The main principles underlying the new discipline “Regional Studies of Russia” allow to fulfill several tasks, first of all, to respond to the urgent needs of the state and contribute to the realization of state policy, primarily in the sphere of state security, interethnic interaction, strengthening the unity of Russia. The main principle of the new direction is the study of Russia as a unified region with a common history, destiny and mechanisms of development. The conclusion summarizes the results of the work carried out since the opening of the new specialty in 2001. The Faculty of Foreign Languages and Area Studies of MSU has carried out serious work on the development and promotion of the new scientific and educational direction of regional studies. The main theoretical and methodological approaches were worked out, the source base, which determines the fundamental nature of the science mentioned above, was elaborated in detail. The key factors of the region formation, its main parameters, constants and dominants were identified

The article examines cultural standards of modesty in the Russian and Chinese languages. The study is based on dictionaries and text corpora of two languages. The purpose of the work is to determine universal and nationally specific features in the formation of cultural standards of modesty in the Russian and Chinese languages. The object of the study is modesty as a traditional value of Russian and Chinese linguistic cultures. Modesty is encoded using cultural standards that reflect the essential features of modesty as a sociocultural value that characterizes Russian and Chinese cultures. The study found that in the Russian language, modesty, which is predominantly gender-based, is mainly associated with the image of a girl (woman). Modesty as a universal human quality is realized contradictorily: 1) “the modesty of a hero, a real person” and 2) “the modesty of a quiet, timid, dependent person.” In Chinese linguistic culture, “modesty” occupies a strong position, and its “standard” implementation, determined by the ideas of Confucius, is an integral part not only of etiquette, but also the worldview of the Chinese. In the Chinese language, the “standard” implementation of modesty, defined by the ideas of Confucius, is an integral part of etiquette. The Chinese modesty system is associated with natural objects and plant images that are of great importance to Chinese culture. The results of this study can be used in lexicographic practice and in teaching Russian and Chinese languages.