Abstract: The subject of this research is the modern trends of the socio-political development of the Russian Federation that contribute into preservation of stability and adaptiveness of the social system under the conditions of a rapidly changing world. A special attention is given to the processes associated with the further expansion of the “contact zone” of society and state. The author particularly analyzes the data on the condition of the “third sector”, which can become one of the effective instruments to the targeted solution of the important social issues. The author reviews various phenomena related to the transition of the government towards customer-oriented principles of activity, as well as to the emergence of elements of e-democracy and general expansion of internet technologies into the political sphere. Based on the conducted analysis, the conclusion is made that the complex expansion of the “contact zone” between society and state, alongside with the use of various influential techniques aimed at strengthening the inner unity of society, represent efficient instruments that are able to ensure effective balance of stability and adaptiveness of the socio-political system of the Russian Federation under the current turbulent circumstances.

Keywords: Russia, politic system, stability, adaptability, socio-economic development, third sector, non-profit organizations, public control, e-government, Internet democracy

Abstract: The study of the peculiarities of manifestation of ethnic and national identities in the modern socio-economic conditions becomes more important for the development of multinational Russian society. The subject of this research is the analysis of the citizens’ of their ethnic and national identities, as well as the circumstances of their formation on the regional level. A special attention, within the polyethnic environment of the region, is given to the determination of peculiarities of manifestation of national and civil identities in perception of people of different nationalities. In the course of this work, the author defines the principal parameters of civic consciousness, as well as gives characteristics to the national and ethnic identities. As the main method of the research, the author uses survey conducted among the population of Altai Krai in 2015. The sociological research, conducted by the scholars of the Altai State University, substantiates the fact that the problem differentiation by the ethnic groups in the conditions of polyethnicity of the territory is of great importance for the residents of the region. The researches, in this regard, allow the modern socio-humanitarian science to acquire certain practical experience for further study.

Keywords: identity, ethnic identity, civil identity, ethnos, nation, nationality, citizen, Russian, State, Russia

Abstract: The subject of this article is the examination of the real and potential socio-political activity of the Russian citizens. The authors analyze the forms of participation of the citizens in the social practices of local self-governance, as well as reveal the factors that activate and limit the participation of the population in the territorial self-governing practices. A special attention is given to the determination of social groups among the Russian local communities with the highest level of real and potential civic activity. The object of the research is the residents of the cities, townships or rural villages of Tver Oblast. The authors also present the data from sociological monitoring that was conducted in Tver region during the period of 2009-2014, using the method of formalized interviewing. This work studies the level and new forms of participation of the Russian citizens in the existing practices of local self-governance, and defines the potential readiness of the population for civil participation. The authors’ special contribution into the research of this consists in identification of the four categories of respondents: inactive, potentially active, active, and initiative citizens. The last two groups are characterized by the higher potential for self-governance and represent a possible social base and the core of initiatives of the local self-governance.

Keywords: local government, civic participation, forms of civic participation, motivation to participate, Factors of low activity, confidence, local government capacity, poddannicheskoj political culture, activist political culture, initiative

Abstract: This article examines the role of political and industrial revolutions that became a catalyst for the European countries: 1) substitution of the former social norms with new; 2) formation of social organization of the society; 3) establishment of the legal state and modern civil society. The goal of this work is to create a new sociocultural model for modernization, which would be the most effective for the post-Soviet society. This research is aimed at determination of the conceptual side of modernization of the post-Soviet states, as well as sociocultural continuation of these processes with those that took place in the European nations during the XVII-XX centuries. Traditional historical approaches are insufficient for the modelling of the processes of modernization; although they define the stages of development of the European societies, but to not demonstrate under what conditions the Western modernization could be successful for the societies of a different sociocultural type. The scientific novelty consists in elucidation of the position on the sociocultural foundation of modernization, and substantiation of the fact that sociocultural processes are an intrinsic part of the modern social modernization. The various speeds of the sociocultural changes determine the differences in the dynamics of modernization of the states that emerged and function throughout the post-Soviet space. Underestimation of the sociocultural factors of modernization significantly complicates the adequate expert and scientific assessment of the efficiency of the reforms that are currently being executed.

Keywords: transition period, modernization, Post-Soviet society, liberal values, simulations modernization, sociocultural policy, revolution, the human factor, intellectual capital, vector innovative

Abstract: The work is dedicated to the problem of social mechanisms of the socio-political catastrophes and its foretelling signs. The political catastrophe is defined as an irreversible destruction of society and its basic social structures; first and foremost, a destruction of the authoritarian relations, which integrate the society both, socially and territorially. Major distinction between the political catastrophe and political crisis consists in the fact that in the case of political catastrophe takes place the destruction of the social bases of power, caused by exit of the political confrontation outside the boundaries of the elites, as well as the generalization of the intra-elite conflict. The determined regularities are demonstrated on the examples the history of France, the Russian Empire, and the Soviet Union.  The author defines the principal social markers of the looming political catastrophe, which usually takes place on the pinnacle of territorial, economic, and military power of the country. The latent crisis of growth is referred to as one of the social markers of the looming political catastrophe, which is expressed in the difficulty of vertical mobility, slowdown of economic growth, as well as the crisis in goal setting, justified by the emergence of the alternate ways of further development on the background of the exhaustion of acting growth paradigm and the corresponding national idea.    

Keywords: political catastrophe, power, base power, elite, social markers, vertical mobility, nation, national identity, a social revolution, fragmentation

Abstract: In this article the author gives attention to the relevant question of the modern political, as well as theoretical science, precisely the coverage by foreign researchers of the history and realities of the establishment of presidential authority in the post-Soviet Russia. It is an important aspect for both, the “transitological” researches, and researches on history of political institutions of the country, including the understanding the roots of its current state. The author examines not only the institutional aspect, but what is equally important, the public opinion with regards to the presidents, and the political institution itself. This article analyzes the foreign research conducted in cooperation with the Russian institute of sociology (Russian Academy of Science), surveys by Pew Research Center, and others. The author concludes that the majority of the English-speaking authors agree on the fact that the society supported the “strong persona” of the president, exactly as proposed by the “superpresidentialism”. During the difficult historical period, the government chose a not quite democratic institutional façade with a grand role of presidential authority, but which was supported by the population.

Keywords: V. Putin, B. Yeltsin, Super presidentialism, public opinion, Post-Soviet Russia, institutional facade, strong personality, The Constitution of the Russian Federation, democracy, authoritarianism

Abstract: The subject of this research is prostitution as a form of social deviation, most common in the conditions of socio-economic crises. The public attitude towards this pathology has varied throughout different eras: from being accepted as a necessary measure, to complete condemnation. Prostitution should be separate from such notion as adultery, which is an unorganized attempt, a certain introduction to this sphere. Knowing the history of prostitution is necessary in order to combat this type of deviation in the future. In Russian society, prostitution has long been perceived as humiliation of women, which is the reason why writers, publicists, and social workers strived to fight this evil, primarily from the point of systemic regulation, existing in Russia since the 1840’s. Being the nation’s capital, Moscow has been the gravitation pull for individuals looking for easy money, and thus the place of help and rehabilitation for fallen women. The historical experience shows that same as in the imperial era, during the Soviet time the most productive were the methods of social patronage, rather than outright repression.

Keywords: social deviation, crises, historical experience, social patronage, syphilis, Moscow, public opinion, risk, The New Economic Policy, help

Abstract: The object of this research is the football fans as a social group. The subject of the research is the trends towards establishment of the image of this group in the public eye, by using different types of mass media. The author thoroughly examines the genesis and mechanisms of the formation of the image of a football fan within the Soviet and modern Russia in the context of socio-economic and political changes. A special attention is given to the analysis of the image of the fans and history, as well as the trends of the development of their movement in our country. The Soviet and modern Russian mass media and internet resources on the subject of fan subculture and football hooliganism events are being reviewed in the course of this work. Today, not only football, but also a so-called “football hooliganism” is widely covered by the media, and the fan subculture as a social phenomenon became more informationally open. The author also believes that people who are not quite involved into sports and sport life, as a rule, build a stereotypic impression of the fan subculture. The scientific novelty consists in the ability to create an objective and realistic image of a football fan based on the conducted research, which in turn will allow determination and elimination of the false images and stereotypic delusions in relation to the fan subculture.

Keywords: football, fan, power, society, group, hooliganism, MASS MEDIA, journalism, form, the ordinary citizen

Abstract: The subject of this research is the analysis of development of the Communist ideology of the youth movements in a number of Western European countries, Central and Southeast Asia, and Cuba. Claim is made that the beginning of the establishment of a society based on the Communist ideas coincided with the transformation of consciousness of the young generations towards the socio-political discourse of the development of national identity. The author attempts to determine the link between these two processes. Based on the brief historico-analytical insight that describes the chronological frameworks of the attempts of the governments of the aforementioned countries to build a “developed socialist” society, a conclusion is made that political control over the youth movements in these countries carried a form of mentorship and ideological effect upon the economic, political, social, and spiritual life of the society. The author also formulates a thesis about the correlation between the party leadership of a particular country with the international Communist labor movement. Among thetheoretical results of this research are the following: 1. Clarification of the notion of political control over the youth movements and its effectiveness within the existed forms of government structure; 2. Grand scale character of the ideological doctrines and predominance of the Communist idea over others; 3. A fairly developed organizational and functional apparatus of the political control; 4. Successive character of organizational and practical activity within the youth movements.

Keywords: youth policy, developed socialism, the socialist camp, Komsomol, the youth, youth groups, Communist Party, Party control, ideological priorities, political control

Abstract: This article is prompted by the 30-year anniversary of the “Perestroika”. The object of the research is the first secretaries of the regional, municipal, and district committees of the All-Union Leninist Young Communist League (Komsomol) of Tambov region during the period of 1985-1991. The subject of the research is the main stages of social evolution of the body of first secretaries of the regional committees of Komsomol, as well as the ideological and organizational aspects of its establishment and activity. From the authors’ perspective, it allows us to determine the organizational prerequisites of the successful and crisis moments of the work of Komsomol, drastically change the perception of the image of the Soviet youth leaders, and help the modern public communities, political parties, and government facilities to develop an effective youth policy. Tambov Oblast represents a typical region in central part of Russia. The traditional to Soviet system forms and methods of human resource policy were implemented in the region. Thus the study of the history of the regional Komsomol organization allows projecting multiple results of the research upon the history of other regions. The method of prosopography – creation of collective biographies and determination of a certain circle of people by means of similar questions, is being used in the course of this work. The authors closely follow the point of view of Lawrence Stone, who believed that prosopography is the investigation of the general characteristics of the historical actors that pertains to two key issues: 1) the way they implemented the political acts; 2) the ways and versions of social mobility and realization of their career goals.  In order to compile the collective portrait of the Komsomol officials of the late USSR, the authors analyze personal cases stored in the state archives of the socio-political history of the Tambov Oblast.  

Keywords: restructuring, Komsomol, the youth, first secretaries, PROSOPOGRAPHY, nomenclature, elitovedenie, regional studies, Chronology, Tambov Region