To the Understanding of the City: the Role of Theory. Review on: Vershinina I.A. Contemporary Theories of the City: A Sociological Analysis [Monograph]. Moscow: Kanon + ROOI “Rehabilitation” publ., 2019

Abstract

The review considers the scientific monograph by I.A. Vershinina as the first domestic systematization and description of the key sociological theories that dominate modern urban sociology. The undoubted merit of the author consists of the following points. Into scientific circulation, the author introduces foreign sources on the topic previously for the most part not translated in Russia. Scientific novelty of Vershinina’s research lies in the fact that she identifies similarities and differences in theoretical approaches to the analysis of cities. Finally, the author determines the contribution of theories of the city to the development of modern sociological theory. At the same time, the reviewer draws attention to a number of omissions in the work of I.A. Vershinina such as the following: predominant research focus on neo-Marxist theories of the city, no description of A. Lefebvre’s process of production of space and its typology, the analysis’ exclusion of M. Castells’ theory of space in terms of his reasoning behind the process of the space of places transitioning to the space of flows, which generates significant social consequences in today’s world.