Local communities as the basis for preserving the cultural diversity of modern Russia: methodological approaches

Abstract

The article discusses approaches to the study of local communities associated with sociocultural transformations of modern Russian society. In Western and Russian scientific schools, the study of local communities differs. Since the first half of the 19th century, Western science has observed the development of communities and their transformations in the process of urbanization, which broke communal tradition. Today in Western sociology, the study of communities is carried out primarily in the everyday, everyday field. The Russian practice of studying local communities was formed later, towards the end of the 20th century, during the formation of the system of local government bodies, therefore the local community is considered by Russian researchers as a phenomenon of local government. In modern urban-oriented culture, it is important to form and develop the local community not only as the basis for preserving the population and territories in the region. Mechanisms for consolidating people into a community through social activity not only solve the practical problem of preserving territories and their resources, but can be considered as a model for assembling such a complex social entity as Russia. Socio-cultural technologies of working with communities occupy a special place. Participatory budgeting and asset-based community development (ABCD), among others, play an important role. The latter formed the basis of the “cultural mosaic” program, initiated by the Timchenko Foundation.