Polis. Political Studies No 4 2018 Topic: Stability and Transformation – Conflicting Imperatives of Contemporary Politics CONTENT: PRESENTING THIS ISSUE Presenting this Issue (p. 6) THEME OF THE ISSUE: STABILITY AND TRANSFORMATION - CONFLICTING IMPERATIVES OF CONTEMPORARY POLITICS Kokoshin A.A. Strategic Stability in a Deteriorating International Environment (p. 7-21) Shishkov V.V. Empire as a Notion and Concept of Modern Political Science: The Problems of Interpretation (p. 22-36) Lapkin V.V. Nation vs Empire in the Modern World Order (p. 37-55) ORBIS TERRARUM Timofeev I.N. The U.S. Sanctions Against Iran: Experience and Eventual Implications (p. 56-71) Gutorov V.A., Tarasov I.N. Post-Communism in Institutional, Ideological and Communicative Dimensions: Critical Notes. Part II (p. 72-83) Krylov A.V., Morozov V.M. The Ideology of Hamas: From Radical Islamism to Rational Practicality? (p. 84-99) LABORATORY Grishin N.V. The Phenomenon of Constituency Boundaries Commissions: Development and Prospects (p. 100-114) Yerokhov I.A. New Framework of Political Knowledge: Labor, Control and Vision of the Future (p. 115-129) RUSSIA TODAY Sungurov A.Yu. Expert Community and Power: Models of Interaction and Problems of Civil Responsibility (p. 130-142) Puzanova Zh.V., Narbut N.P., Larina T.I., Antonova L.A. Contexts of Intercultural Interaction in the High School (p. 143-155) REFLECTING ON MATTERS IN PRINT Egorova-Gantman E.V. Despite the Disbelief. The Story of Russian Political Psychology (p. 156-167) Shestopal Ye.B. Notes of a Political Psychologist on the Book “Identity: the Individual, Society, and Politics” (p. 168-176) Kazarinova D.B. Cold War and Peace: “Russia Against the Rest” and Four World Orders of R. Sakwa (p. 177-184) Kravchenko S.A. Why Innovative Knowledge About Russian Society Is in Such a Demand (p. 185-191)