Institutional problematic in the theses of sociologists

Abstract

This article examines various aspects of institutional problematic in the research of sociologists. Analysis is conducted on the theses on sociology (for the period from 2016 to 2019), which provide the results of studying social institutions and social practices. The author determines the modern trends in examining the problem of “institutionalization – deinstitutionalization”, and reveals the connection between social institutions and particular practices. The tendency to generalize the material on local manifestations of the institutions and practices in the thesis is noted. At the same time, the questions are raised concerning the development of relatively new institutions, the establishment of which is associated with the peculiarities of modern social reality. Attention is give to cross-disciplinary nature of theses dedicated to studying the institutional problematic. The author assesses the role of the theses of sociologists in formation of the picture of development of the institutions and practices in the Russian Federation, its constituent entities, and foreign countries. Emphasis is placed on the aspect of regionalization of institutions. The article outlines the problems related to the scientific analysis of “basic institutions” in regional development. The significance of theses for the formation of representations on correlation between the “basic institutions” and relevant social issues in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation is indicated. Focus is also made on the prevalence of the tendency to studying the role of the regional traditional values and norms in the development of certain social institutions and practices.