Speaking about Civilization-State: Between Philosophy and Politics

Review of the All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference “Between Philosophy and Politics”, Makhachkala, September 18–19, 2025.

Abstract

The material provides an overview of the All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference “Between Philosophy and Politics”, timed to the 85th anniversary of the statesman, politician and academician, the first President of the Republic of Dagestan, Doctor of Sciences in Philosophy Mukhu Gimbatovich Aliyev, which took place on September 18–19, 2025. The key objective of the conference was to discuss from a scientific perspective one of the most important issues that currently stands between philosophy and politics in Russia, namely, the specifics of the formation and prospects of the Russian state-civilization. The venue of the conference, the city of Makhachkala, the capital of the most ethnically diverse region of the Russian Federation, not only in theory but also in practice emphasized the potential of the multinational people of Russia in developing an unique cultural policy that should defend Russia’s independence as a state-civilization. Since the conference included more than 40 presentations on various aspects of the topic, the review is forced to focus on the content of the first plenary session, considering it to be the most representative, as well as on some reports from other sessions. As general theoretical results that can serve for the formation of constructive cultural policy, the author highlights the articulation of the ethnic and religious diversity of the Russian state-civilization that combines traditional values, respect for a unique richness and diversity of history with a special political culture. The distinctive features of the latter are patriotism, sacrifice, self-sufficiency and the ability to find agreement in difficult conditions. Many participants of the conference, speaking about the peculiarities of Dagestan as a Russian region in a civilizational context, offered theoretical results, the significance of which goes far beyond the intellectual life of the border region and make a significant contribution to the philosophical understanding of the future of our country and world-process.