Hasil untuk "Ethnology. Social and cultural anthropology"

Rudi Ekasiswanto

Many Indonesian literary works contain gender narratives, particularly violence against women. This study explores intersectional violence in a comparatively within the short stories “Penguburan Kembali Sitaresmi”, “Jemari Nayla”, and “Leteh”. By combining Galtung’s theory of violence and Crenshaw’s intersectionality, this research conducts a close reading to interpret the data in accordance with the theory, comparative analysis, as well as the socio-political context that allows the depiction of such violence. The findings are as follows. In the first short story, direct violence (murder) and structural violence (marginalization) are depicted. In this violence, gender intersects with class of occupation and political identity constructed by the military and the state toward women. In the second short story, Nayla experiences ongoing violence in both the past and present. The sexual violence in the past, which intersectionally occurs due to power relations of position and age, produces traumatic memories. These memories lead to a bad identity, causing her to experience future violence in the form of marginalization by her husband. In the third short story, structural violence (stigmatization) takes place. Intersectional identities do not appear in the narrative, but link gender relations to development. The intersectionality in this story shows that there are structures, processes, and institutions that position women as passive and non-contributory to development. From the comparison of the three, similarities can be drawn, but in general, violence against women is heterogeneous, emerging within specific socio-political contexts.

Jolanta Mędelska, Henryk Duszyński-Karabasz

Autorzy artykułu poddali analizie język powieści Kresy, napisanej w 1917 roku przez ziemianina pochodzącego z kresów północno-wschodnich, płodnego publicystę, prozaika, krytyka literackiego Kazimierza Zdziechowskiego. Autor opisuje życie prowincjonalnego miasta oraz okolicznych wsi i dworków na Mińszczyźnie w okresie tuż przed I wojną światową i w czasie trwania wojny. Swą książkę K. Zdziechowski zadedykował pamięci Kresowianki Elizy Orzeszkowej. Analiza wykazała, że mimo sugestywnego tytułu i innych sprzyjających okoliczności autor nie korzystał z bogatego repertuaru środków północnokresowych w celach stylizacji językowej. Nieliczne refleksy cech polszczyzny zza północno-wschodniej granicy etnicznej występują tylko w narracji odautorskiej i nie mają charakteru stylizacyjnego. Należą do idiolektu autora. W tekście znalazło odzwierciedlenie 7 zjawisk z zakresu wymowy północnokresowej (np. zwężenie o do u), 8 osobliwości fleksyjnych (np. zmiany rodzaju gramatycznego rzeczownika) i 5 swoistych struktur składniowych (np. orzecznik przymiotnikowy w narzędniku). Zdecydowana większość osobliwości to cechy w badanym okresie cofające się w języku ogólnopolskim, innowacji powstałych na Kresach jest znacznie mniej. Nikła reprezentacja północnokresowizmów wynika ze skuteczności warszawsko-krakowskich korektorów albo też ze sprawnej autokorekty erudyty K. Zdziechowskiego.

Jérôme Bocquet

Yutong Zhang, Taeuk Kang, Sydney Yeh et al.

Positive social interactions can occur in groups of many shapes and sizes, spanning from small and private to large and open. However, social media tends to binarize our experiences into either isolated small groups or into large public squares. In this paper, we introduce Burst, a social media design that allows users to share and curate content between many spaces of varied size and composition. Users initially post content to small trusted groups, who can then burst that content, routing it to the groups that would be the best audience. We instantiate this approach into a mobile phone application, and demonstrate through a ten-day field study (N=36) that Burst enabled a participatory curation culture. With this work, we aim to articulate potential new design directions for social media sharing.

Alan Said

This work examines the role of recommender systems in promoting sustainability, social responsibility, and accountability, with a focus on alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As recommender systems become increasingly integrated into daily interactions, they must go beyond personalization to support responsible consumption, reduce environmental impact, and foster social good. We explore strategies to mitigate the carbon footprint of recommendation models, ensure fairness, and implement accountability mechanisms. By adopting these approaches, recommender systems can contribute to sustainable and socially beneficial outcomes, aligning technological advancements with the SDGs focused on environmental sustainability and social well-being.

I. Khokholova

The perception of color is formed through the prism of cultural, historical and social characteristics of a particular people. Cultural traditions, religion, lifestyle, and historical experience influence how people perceive and interpret colors, giving them certain symbolic meanings and emotional associations. The article discusses words and phrases with a color designation component, containing national and cultural specifics, and strategies to translate them. The purpose of this study is to identify the features of the color designation of epic texts and strategies of their translation from Yakut into French. The subject of the research is the colorative vocabulary in epic texts and their translation strategies from Yakut into French. The research material was olonkho “Nyurgun Bootur the Swift” by K. G. Orosin and its translation into French by Y. Karro through an intermediary language – Russian, translated by G.U. Ergis, and “Eles Bootur” by P. V. Ogotoev and its translation into French by V. I. Shaposhnikova. The research methods were comparative original and translation, linguistic and cultural analyses. Comparative analysis with elements of cultural analysis was aimed at identifying color-designation lexemes and a comparative analysis of their connotations in the original and translated texts, which revealed cultural differences in the Yakut, Russian and French linguistic cultures. The linguistic method itself allowed us to evaluate the semantic accuracy of the translation and the use of translation strategies. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that the color definitions of epic texts and their translation strategies from Yakut into French did not become the object of special research. The novelty of the research lies in identifying areas of semantic gaps and emphasizing the peculiarities of linguistic worldviews of different cultures. The study revealed that the studied chromatic color definitions in the epic mainly go back to the animal world, in particular, the horse breeding and cattle breeding culture of the Yakuts, which are superimposed on the surrounding space, perception of the image of the world. The color designations of epic texts are culturally determined, which makes it difficult to maintain accuracy and nuances in translation. When translating specific colorative vocabulary, translators resort to substitution and generalization, which leads to a loss of uniqueness and expressiveness of the original. Translating equivalent vocabulary requires the translator to creatively search, use explanatory notes or comments in order to preserve the national flavor. The prospects of the work are determined by the fact that the results obtained can be used in comparative studies devoted to the problems of comparative linguistics, lexicology, anthropology, ethnology, folklore studies, translation studies and the theory of intercultural communication.

Yulong Sun

This article aims to compare the ritual processes and social significance of Miao weddings in the Southeast and Northeast regions of Guizhou. The article deeply explores the differences in youth social interaction and spouse selection methods, the symbolic logic and kinship rules in the engagement process, the view of the marital process reflected by the "not settling in the husband's home" custom, and the symbolic function of wedding costumes and silver ornaments. Based on public government documents, authoritative media reports, and related anthropological and ethnological research findings, this study, through comparative analysis, attempts to reveal the cultural diversity formed due to geographical region within the same ethnic group and its deep social logic.

Ksenija Marković Božović, T. Nikolić, Jovana Karaulić

This article presents the findings of 11 focus groups with a total of 59 performing artists from different countries in Southern and Central Europe, on the topic of the ‘need to strengthen the capacity’ of this group of actors in the international art sector. The research is grounded in contemporary career theories, the hybridization of professional engagement, and precariat in the arts sector. The study mapped significant differences in national as well as regional contexts within Central and Southern Europe, but also the widespread gap between formal education and informal professional development and lifelong learning in the field of performing arts. Despite the Bologna Process, formal education has largely remained locally specific, partly due to different traditions, which has led to the situation where, in some countries of the region, the higher education infrastructure in performing arts is well developed, while in others it is underdeveloped or nonexistent. Where it does exist, state higher education in performing arts predominantly focuses on performance skills and techniques, often neglecting interdisciplinary approaches and the contextualization of artistic work within social and political theories or practices. A key factor in strengthening the capacity of performing artists lies in international platforms, including both collaborative projects and donors who finance and facilitate such projects, primarily the European Union, but also other organizations. These projects and platforms simultaneously serve as sources of pressure on artists to engage with contemporary social issues and to assume multiple roles within the cultural sector, which requires additional sets of skills, knowledge, and competencies. In this context, many research participants identified producers and managers interested in working within smaller collectives and independent troupes as one of the missing profiles, those professionals who possess the competencies for both operational and administrative tasks as well as for providing creative support to the artistic process.

М.Ю. Мартынова

СМС-сообщения, прием и отправка СМСок через мобильный телефон, а затем и через интернет-мессенджеры, представляют собой относительно новое исследовательское поле для социального антрополога и этнолога. Между тем, сотовый телефон, интернет и другие инновации конца ХХ века — это не только научный прорыв в инженерии и человеческой мысли, их внедрение в сегодняшнюю жизнь породило многие изменения бытового плана, культурного характера. Современные информационные технологии создали условия для стремительного, ускоряющегося распространения новостных потоков. Транскультурный и трансконтинентальный характер данного явления с антропологической точки зрения приводит с невероятной аккультурации. Это обстоятельство делает особо актуальным рассмотрение не только общих закономерностей функционирования в обществе электронных способов связи, но и их локальных вариантов. СМС сообщения как вербальная форма общения представляют собой нарративы, имеющие специфические и при этом узнаваемые формы. Функции коротких письменных текстов — информационные, развлекательные и интеграционные. Очевидно, что в них находят отражение социальные, политические, культурологические особенности конкретного социума. Интерес к обозначенной теме был спровоцирован выходом в свет монографии сербской исследовательницы др. Милины Иванович-Баришич (Ивановић-Баришић), научного советника Этнографического института Сербской академии наук и искусств. Она проанализировала сербский контент СМС и вайбер-сообщений с этнологической/антропологической точки зрения, изучила их тематику, этикетные нормы диалога, культуру написания и другие социально значимые параметры. Исследовательница пришла к выводу, что обмен сообщениями стал не только элементом нашей повседневности, но и изменил бизнес-общение представителей самых разных профессий. В то же время она увидела в коротких текстовых посланиях определенную преемственность традиций и даже новый фольклорный нарратив, аккумулировавший в себе созданные на протяжении истории человечества фольклорные жанры. Texting, receiving and sending SMS messages via mobile phones and Internet messengers is a relatively new research field for social anthropologists and ethnologists. Meanwhile the mobile telephone, the Internet and other innovations of the late 20th century are far more than just scientific breakthroughs in engineering and human thought — their introduction into today's life has given rise to many changes in cultural and domestic life. Modern information technology has led to an unprecedentedly rapid spread of news streams. The transcultural and transcontinental nature of this phenomenon from an anthropological point of view leads to incredible acculturation. Thus, it is particularly relevant to consider not only the general patterns of electronic communication in society, but also their local variants. SMS messages as a verbal form of communication are narratives that have specific and recognizable forms. The functions of short written texts are informative, entertaining and integrative. Obviously, they reflect the social, political, and cultural specificity of a particular society. The interest in this topic was provoked by the publication of a monograph by Serbian researcher Dr. Milina Ivanović-Barišić, scientific adviser at the Ethnographic Institute of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts. She analyzed Serbian SMS and Viber message content from an ethnological/anthropological perspective, studying their subject matter, dialogue etiquette, writing culture and other socially relevant parameters. The researcher concluded that messaging has not only become an essential part of our everyday life, but has also changed business communication in various professional spheres. At the same time, she saw in the short text messages a certain continuity of traditions and even a new folklore narrative that accumulated folklore genres created throughout human history.

Marina Mandić

The well-known narrative of zombies, the reanimated monsters of contemporary popular culture, can be traced back to the late 1960s, or more specifically to the release of the film Night of the Living Dead (1968) by American director George A. Romero. However, at the time of the film's inception the term zombie was already widely present in American popular culture: the cinematography of voodoo zombie, created in Haiti through magic and psychoactive substances, appeared in America in 1932, with the release of the film White Zombie, based on the travelogue The Magic Island (1929), by American missionary William Seabrooke. The paper initially points to the social and historical circumstances that led to the spread of zombies in Haiti: as the first independent nation of the Western Hemisphere, Haiti at the beginning of the twentieth century became the subject of American imperialist strategies and a threat to the maintenance of hegemony, therefore in the texts of colonial travel writers it was described as a nation of savagery, black magic, powerful voodoo cults, and the reanimated dead. Cultural and racist stereotypes that were transmitted to the United States justified the American "civilizing" mission, i.e. political and economic interventions. The role of zombies in Haiti was that of a slave, a profitable workforce, used by local urban elites, voodoo sorcerers, and colonial regimes since the eighteenth century.  In this regard, my analysis highlights the ways in which White Zombie reproduces the established image of Haiti as an exotic place filled with mystery and dangers, adopts the dominant American viewpoints marked by discrimination and racism, and sets cultural norms of distinguishing between the civilized and the barbaric, whereby the white color of the skin reflects the norm of the civilized. To this end, the dialectic of slavery is emphasized in the film by the zombification of a young white woman, thus manifesting the tensions that existed between the imperialist powers and their "subjects" of enslavement, and emphasizing the unequal power relations between subordinate Haitian slaves and Westerners in high positions. Finally, the changes that have taken place over the decades of the zombie monster's development are highlighted: the zombie moves away from Haiti and approaches the modern world, and becomes a reanimated, highly infectious, cannibalistic monster of consumer society, that is, a monster of the global capitalist system.

Elina Bertet, Camille Gontier, Julien Fuchs

This article focuses on the sporting event known as the Arctic Winter Games, which features young people (aged ten to twenty) from the Arctic regions, provinces, and nations. It demonstrates that young participants primarily experience this event as festive, thus fulfilling the Games’ stated promise of combining sports with the promotion of Arctic culture. Drawing on data collected during the 2023 edition, the article investigates the expectations of both the young athletes and the organizers and then compares them with how participants experience the event. The behaviors, interactions, and relationships that develop during flagship Games events, such as Arctic sports and Dene games, during which festive practices take center stage, are also part of this study. The article thus illustrates that the Arctic Winter Games place festivity, primarily as a means for participants to socialize and foster a symbolic unity among young people of the North, at the heart of the event. The festive and partying moments, which are integral to this youth-focused event, make the Arctic Winter Games an unique platform to observe how international sports events are striving today to renew their model by constructing a strong social and cultural sense of belonging.

Imanol Satrustegi Andres

Loris Belcastro, Riccardo Cantini, Fabrizio Marozzo et al.

In the digital era, the prevalence of depressive symptoms expressed on social media has raised serious concerns, necessitating advanced methodologies for timely detection. This paper addresses the challenge of interpretable depression detection by proposing a novel methodology that effectively combines Large Language Models (LLMs) with eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) and conversational agents like ChatGPT. In our methodology, explanations are achieved by integrating BERTweet, a Twitter-specific variant of BERT, into a novel self-explanatory model, namely BERT-XDD, capable of providing both classification and explanations via masked attention. The interpretability is further enhanced using ChatGPT to transform technical explanations into human-readable commentaries. By introducing an effective and modular approach for interpretable depression detection, our methodology can contribute to the development of socially responsible digital platforms, fostering early intervention and support for mental health challenges under the guidance of qualified healthcare professionals.

Cuong Nhat Vo, Khanh Bao Huynh, Son T. Luu et al.

The growth of social networks makes toxic content spread rapidly. Hate speech detection is a task to help decrease the number of harmful comments. With the diversity in the hate speech created by users, it is necessary to interpret the hate speech besides detecting it. Hence, we propose a methodology to construct a system for targeted hate speech detection from online streaming texts from social media. We first introduce the ViTHSD - a targeted hate speech detection dataset for Vietnamese Social Media Texts. The dataset contains 10K comments, each comment is labeled to specific targets with three levels: clean, offensive, and hate. There are 5 targets in the dataset, and each target is labeled with the corresponding level manually by humans with strict annotation guidelines. The inter-annotator agreement obtained from the dataset is 0.45 by Cohen's Kappa index, which is indicated as a moderate level. Then, we construct a baseline for this task by combining the Bi-GRU-LSTM-CNN with the pre-trained language model to leverage the power of text representation of BERTology. Finally, we suggest a methodology to integrate the baseline model for targeted hate speech detection into the online streaming system for practical application in preventing hateful and offensive content on social media.

Salatiel da Rocha Gomes, Geycielle de Oliveira Batista, Liliane Costa de Oliveira et al.

Objective: To assess the qualification of Indigenous Health Agents (AIS) and Indigenous Sanitation Agents (AISAN) in the DSEI Alto Rio Solimões, focusing on identifying health professionals' perceptions of the offered courses and proposing new approaches for the continuous training of these agents, ensuring that the training is culturally sensitive and aligned with the specificities of Indigenous communities.   Theoretical Framework: The research is based on an ethnographic approach, in accordance with the concepts proposed by Nakamura (2011) on the importance of Anthropology and Ethnology in understanding Indigenous health practices. The "comprehensive interview" methodology by Kaufmann (2013) also guides the data collection, allowing for an active listening of the experiences and views of the DSEI professionals regarding AIS and AISAN training.   Method: The adopted methodology was qualitative, using a combination of ethnography and comprehensive interviews. The research focused on a workshop held at DSEI Alto Rio Solimões in Tabatinga/AM, with the participation of 10 health professionals (nurses, psychologists, social workers, among others). During the workshop, participants shared their experiences and views on the training of AIS and AISAN, and these insights were analyzed based on the theoretical assumptions of ethnography.   Results and Discussion: The results revealed that the professionals at DSEI have a strong connection with the communities served, which allows them to deeply understand local needs. The discussion points out that, while the qualification courses offered so far are important, there is a need for continuous adaptation to meet the socio-cultural realities of the region. The team suggested new formative approaches, such as participatory and intercultural methodologies, that promote the empowerment of AIS and AISAN to address health and sanitation challenges in the communities.   Implications of the Research: The research suggests that the continuous qualification of AIS and AISAN should be based on intercultural methodologies that integrate traditional knowledge and health practices. Training should be adapted to the cultural specificities of Indigenous communities, so that health agents can work more effectively and sensitively to local diversity. The study also highlights the importance of training that goes beyond technical skills, including aspects related to human rights, mental and social health, and combating various forms of violence.   Originality/Value: This study makes a significant contribution to the literature on the training of Indigenous health professionals, offering an in-depth analysis of training practices and proposing new pedagogical models that integrate traditional knowledge and biomedical practices. The research emphasizes the importance of intercultural and continuous education that values the cultural specificities of Indigenous communities and ensures holistic health promotion.

D. Bondžić, Boris Tomanić

A comparative analysis of the work of the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje (1920 - 1941), which was founded by the Yugoslav authorities, and the University "Tsar Boris III" (1943 - 1944), which was established through the efforts of the Bulgarian state, reveals a number of similarities, indicating that the basic principles of the two states were nearly identical in the educational and national sense. Serbia, later Yugoslavia, and Bulgaria used almost the same means in order to achieve the desired goal - political and cultural domination over the Vardar Valley. Cultural-educational, but also national-political aspects were evident through official correspondence and public statements. The rhetoric of Yugoslav and Bulgarian institutions and individuals, along with their publishing activities, lectures, etc., was quite similar. The similarities were also visible through the set scope and objectives of these higher education institutions, as well as through their legislative frameworks and the position of the faculty/university in relation to the administrative center in Belgrade or Sofia. Through their ministries, both states sent emissaries, various commissions and trusted individuals in order to shape the operation of these institutions further. However, economically and politically weak, and lacking sufficient development in scientific and cultural fields, neither Yugoslavia nor Bulgaria manageed to complete the project of cultural assimilation of the local population in Macedonia. The initial aspirations for a quick resolution of national objectives through these institutions were soon replaced by material and social issues. Thus, efforts at Serbization - to a lesser extent, and Yugoslavianization - to a greater extent, and subsequently Bulgarianization, failed to achieve their full potential through the aforementioned higher education institutions. On the other hand, the educational and cultural endeavors of the Yugoslav government during the interwar period gained their true significance for this region and its local population only after the Second World War, with the establishment of the University of Skopje, when the political, and therefore social physiognomy of the Yugoslav landscape was transformed.

Ivana Gačanović

Modern universities, especially the ones not belonging to the small elite group from the top of the world ranking lists, but occupying the slippery terrain of the open market of the “economy of knowledge”, are forced to change the traditional, habitual modes of work, principles and values, and are considered obliged to perform as more competitive, responsible, and efficient in the eyes of the society and the world of the new era. Broadly, this is the framework of the explanation of the huge scientific-professional hyperproduction treating the university changes, both in the world context and our domestic one. Here the focus is on the Belgrade University and the modes in which the members of this institution relate to the changes in the socio-economic, political, and cultural context, that influence the development of the local academic community and its “culture”. The paper is the result of the research conducted during 2022 and 2024, based mainly on the interviews with several full professors of the Belgrade University. The aim has been to reach the most authentic insight into the experience of working at this University during the 30-year long period of transition in Serbia. According to the statements of my interviewees, the “Bologna reform” in the widest sense of this term is habitually taken to represent the reference point of the higher education “transition”, according to which we can observe the key changes in this area, directly or indirectly linked to the process of the wider social transition. The vast material was first systematized according to the chronological principle, dividing the process of transition into three decades, where my interlocutors compared the conditions and changes that accompanied and determined the university work. The material was then systematized according to the qualitative principle, singling out the most important changes that the interviewees experienced themselves or observed in their surroundings, in respect to two basic functions of university: teaching and research. The theoretical-methodological postulation of this approach is that the members of an academic community share the so-called “academic culture” and that the characteristics of this culture and the ways it changes (or remains the same) may only be approached by focusing on individuals and the modes in which they change their social actions, interpret and modulate the newly acquired culture, due to the pressures of the changing conditions.

ABDULLAHI IBRAHIM SALAHU-DEEN, TIMOTHY KAYODE TOWOJU

The educational challenges faced by youths in Sub-Saharan Africa are complex and multifaceted, significantly shaping their socio-economic prospects and development. This article examines the barriers that hinder access to quality education within the region, emphasizing both internal and external factors that contribute to these challenges. It investigates how economic disparities, political instability, gender inequality, inadequate infrastructure, and cultural dynamics interact to limit educational opportunities for young people. Additionally, the paper explores the experiences of Sub-Saharan African youths who migrate to Europe, highlighting the differences in educational opportunities and outcomes between their home countries and host societies. Using a comparative framework, the study analyzes the interplay between migration and education, focusing on how systemic, structural, and socio-economic factors shape the educational trajectories of African youths in both contexts. Particular attention is given to the challenges faced by migrant youths in adapting to new education systems, overcoming language barriers, and navigating social integration in Europe. The research also examines the implications of these challenges for the long-term socio-economic mobility of African youths, both within their home countries and the diaspora. By shedding light on these issues, the paper underscores the need for comprehensive and innovative strategies to address educational disparities. It calls for collaboration between governments, international organizations, and community stakeholders to develop policies and initiatives aimed at improving access to quality education, supporting migrant youth, and fostering equitable learning environments. Ultimately, the study seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of the educational challenges and opportunities for Sub-Saharan African youths and advocates for targeted interventions to bridge existing gaps and promote sustainable development.

Sreekanth. K Sreekanth. K

The saint, Chattampi Swamikal was a spiritual leader who gave meritorious contributions for the enhancement of the cultural legacy of Kerala. He was a prolific writer who wrote about a number of themes with versatility and insight. This paper is an attempt to evaluate the counter narratives of Swamikal to upheld Tamil culture and civilization. His attempt to legitimize the position of Nair community as the flag bearers of Kerala culture and the need to modify their attitude in tune with time is analyzed here. The paper tries to make an estimate about the wide range of subjects like history, ethnological narrations, philology, anthropology and linguistic studies associated with Swamikal. He was a champion of social reforms in 19’th century Kerala. Like a traditional saint, Swamikal attained Samadhi at Panmana in Chavara in 1924.

URNOV Andrey Yrievich

The article is devoted to Biden Administration Policy in Sub-Saharan Africa during the first half of 2022. This policy is carried out in accordance with a keynote speech “The United States and Africa: Building a 21st Century Partnership” made by Secretary of State Antony Blinken on November 17, 2021 in Abuja, Nigeria. The Secretary identified five spheres of common interest and cooperation – global health, the climate crisis, more stable and inclusive economy, defense of democracy, peace and security. The United States acknowledge a growing role of Africa in the world affairs and use all means at their disposal to preserve and strengthen their positions on the continent. The US “right” to be a global leader remains indisputable. The main enemies, as everywhere, are “authoritarian” China and Russia. The author reviews the US positions and activities in regard to conflict situations in Ethiopia, Mali, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. The meetings and contacts are traced between A. Blinken, his deputies and assistants and African leaders – Chairpersons of African Union and AU Commission, presidents of Angola, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, The Gambia, Malawi, Somalia, Zambia, prime minister of Cote d’Ivoire, foreign ministers of South Africa, Kenia, Nigeria and other countries. The trips of two American delegations are described. One, led by Deputy Secretary of State W. Sherman to South Africa, Angola and Togo (May). The other – “the Department of State economic diplomacy delegation” to Nigeria, Kenia, South Africa and Namibia (February). Some statistics on US – Sub-Saharan Africa trade and investments are provided. The official position concerning the tasks facing Africom is cited. In connection with the events in Ukraine, the United States launched in Africa a frenzied slanderous campaign against Russia. Despite brutal American pressure, about half of the African states refused to vote for the anti-Russian resolution in the United Nations General Assembly (26 out of 54). The African Union Chairperson M. Sall characterized the position of Africa as “very heterogeneous” and insisted on the cancellation of sanctions. His meeting with V. Putin in Sochi on June 3 showed that the African Union is interested in cooperation with Russia and has no intention to quarrel with it. The author analyses in detail “the Congressional Budget Justification” letter which presents the State Department requests of funds for the US policy in Africa in 2023 Financial Year (1 October 2022 – 30 September 2023). Now principle changes in regard to the size of expenditures or vectors of activities are planned.