Public inquiry in the periods of social turbulence (based on the materials of sociological research in Tomsk)

Abstract

This article discusses the questions associated with the impact of social turbulence and exacerbation regimes upon the society. The topic is viewed in the context of the effect of behavioral deviations upon public administration from the perspective of the need for changing its content in the conditions of escalation of crisis situation. The author verifies the hypotheses on the shift of value orientations of the population from the rational plane to the irrational, as well as the formation of public inquiry for the “strong” state. The article aims to identify the attitude of Tomsk population towards the global and local agenda of rapid processes through assessing their own behavior and appeals to the government institutions on the examples of situations caused by outbreak of coronavirus pandemic and transformation of real estate market in the city. Research methodology employs documentary analysis, formalized interview, statistical data processing, and logical inductive-deductive inference. The article obtains new empirical data related to the behavioral assessment of the population in the conditions of social turbulence and its effect upon the formation of public inquiry. The main result consists in indicating the need for transformation of the system of public administration in the periods with nonlinear dynamics and high speeds in implementation of the policy of strengthening the regulatory impact upon maintaining the spheres most affected by the crisis. The presented materials are valuable for the employees of government and administrative branches, as well as researchers dealing with the problematic of social turbulence.