2017 Issue №1

The study clarifies the concept of spatial networking inherent of various forms of interactions within the territorial socio-economic system of a region. The author offers a classification of spatial networks, identifies and describes types of spatial boundaries of different types of territorial communities: geographic, organizational, cognitive, cultural, institutional, social and technological. The complex of factors and conditions that influence the dynamics of the boundaries of spatial networking are defined.

The paper examines the role of research institutions in the system of innovation security of the region and highlights vital interests and security threats to the regional innovation system in the field of research. The author describes important factors having a positive and a negative impact on the competitiveness of the research component of the innovation system of the region. The evaluation of the development of science in the Kaliningrad region in the Soviet (1958—1985) and contemporary (2000—2014) periods of history is undertaken. It is concluded that the regional innovation system of the Kaliningrad region, having undergone a major structural adjustment in the 1990s, is currently in its formative stage, and the research sector makes a significant contribution to its formation. Both the strengths of the research component of the innovation system of the Kaliningrad region — its competitive advantages, and the weaknesses — threats to its innovative security, are defined.

This article analyses images of environmental risks using the village of Nivenskoe as an example. Relevance of the research is caused by the fact that modern control systems of technogenic and ecological safety are based on risk assessment methods. Since media play a most significant role in the formation of public opinion and direct perception of risks in public space, communication of risks can be an instrument of latent manipulation with public opinion. The Internet and printed local media have served as an object of research. Results of the research confirm a hypothesis that images crested by media usually do not correspond to real technical aspect of environmental risks and are addressed as a political problem.