Sociology in a Region as a Subject of Scientific Research

Abstract

The article examines Russian sociology as a whole and in one particular Russian region (the Ural) through the lens of several scientific approaches. The situation in modern Russian sociology is described as a crisis, and the science itself is in need of a new revival. The Great Sociological Ural is considered as an object of research. The subject of research is the main scientific approaches towards studying sociology in the region. Of special interest is the interpretation of the generational approach, which is considered as a tool for analyzing sociology in the region. The purpose of the article is to present the resurgence process, the formation and development of sociology in the region as a subject of research in the mirror of a number of scientific approaches with an emphasis on generational analysis. The author’s theoretical framework is based on the concept of generations in B.Z. Doktorov’s sociology, including his “ladder of generations”. A generational stratification of the sociological community in the Ural is provided, including seven generations — from the moment of the resurgence of sociology in the Ural (during late 1950’s – 1960’s) up to the present day. A characteristic for each of them is provided. The author’s methodology and methods of empirical research are shown. The main methods used were in-depth interviews, the biographical method, as well as the document research method.