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Sociology of space
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3–15
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The article presents the main theoretical principles of the Sociology of Space, which are grounded by the author in a set of the problematizing operations and procedures enabling a researcher to set on the actual study of the spatial aspects of the social life. These operations and procedures are illustrated by the cases from the research project on the Manege square and the underground mall Okhotniy Ryad in Moscow. |
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16–29
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The paper proceeds with the previous article on the Applied sociology of Space and summarizes some results of the research on the Manege square in Moscow and the underground mall Okhotniy Ryad. The main point of the research was to trace the history of the transformation of the Manege square into the empty ambiance, which becomes gradually inutile for the public activity and communication. |
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30–36
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The article deals with the social geography of the street as the special urban subject which combines social-geographic stratification of regions and places with social practices of allocation and translocation. The author demonstrates the way the rhythmically organized human flows in the practice of the everyday life makes alive the space of the street socially/politically/culturally structured as the system of places with its own logic. |
Translations
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37–60
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The paper is a translation of the first part of the second chapter of the 1st volume of "Theory of Communicative Action" (1981) by J. Habermas, where author undertakes a critical revision of M. Weber's theory of rationalization. Taking Weber's works on the sociology of religion as starting point, Habermas makes a systematic reconstruction of the concept of rationality with which Weber describes basic features of occidental rationalism, and shows contradictions inherent in Weber's theory of rationalization. For Habermas, these contradictions are caused, first, by too narrow conceptualization by Weber of the theory of action (based on the idea of purposive rationality) and, second, by confusion of the theory of action and of the system theory. |
Review essays
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61–70
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The reviewed book represents research of causes and effects of historical rise of China within the frameworks of a capitalist world-economy. The author believes that preconditions of economic "miracle" of China of the end 1980 - the beginnings of 2000th years are laid during the Maoistsky period (1950-1976), and shows that economic successes of China are caused by refusal of political, social, economic and legal achievements of a socialist epoch, and distribution to China a neoliberal model of a global capitalist economy. The author asserts that sweeping economic rise of China has seriously broken balance of capitalist world-system and threatens to undermine its ecological stability. |
Schmittiana
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71–75
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The article is a critical survey of the recent biography of German lawyer and political scientist Carl Schmitt written by R. Mehring. The author focuses on the particularity of Mehring's approach to the biography and reveals the characteristic examples which are the evidence of Mehring's outstanding work full of unique historical facts, although he does not create the unified and methodically coherent Schmitt's story of life. |
Book reviews
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76–78
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This review is dedicated to one of the most provocative books recently appeared in Russian sociology - Theory of practices by Vadim Volkov and Oleg Kharkhordin. In his review (Practice of theories) Victor Vakhshtayn is trying to reconstruct main theoretical resources, key pre-theoretical metaphors and the very cognitive style of contemporary practice-oriented sociology. Vakhshtayn is broadening theoretical and philosophical context of latest sociological concepts, proliferating from the field of microsociology and philosophy of everyday life to moral philosophy and actual sociological theorizing. |
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79–83
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The review analyzes the "Theory of Practices" by V. Volkov and O. Kharkhordin (2008). The book considers different approaches that constitute so called "practical" or "pragmatic" turn in social sciences. Authors claim to show how a theorizing in this area of studies is realized. However, it is proposed in the review that they do not meet the challenge. Book "Theory of Practices" demonstrates a particular way of theorization, analysis of which allows lo conclude (following Wittgenstein) that it is impossible to build a theory of practices. |
Papers and essays
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84–91
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This article deals with the certain aspects of Habermas's conception of communication. The possibility of its application as a theoretical resource to investigation of social interaction is discussed. Habermas's conception of communication is based on transcendental-hermeneutical conceptualization of language (K.-O. Apel) where language is regarded as the condition of possibility of interaction and understanding. The author concentrates on the status of category of space in theory in order to demonstrate certain theoretical implications of this language conceptualization. The contradiction between the interpretativist's idea of understanding (A. Schutz) and the idea of understanding based on the universality of communicative competence is stated. Thus the fundamental distinction between the conceptualization of communication based on the universal standards of rationality and the conceptualization of communication based on the cultural patterns is articulated. |
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92–101
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The paper deals with contemporary sociology methodological mainstream in a critical way. Theoretical substance of the approach is sociology of technology. Public opinion survey methodology and practice are interpreted as an epistemology engine, which influences upon survey hypotheses and results in an implicit way. The consistency of survey methodology to underlying social theory is under request, and the principle of such a consistency assessment is presented. |
Education
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102–112
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Hobbesian philosophy holds the attention of the researches up to now. The most discussable questions are the following ones: 1. Whether the philosophy of Hobbes is to be considered in relation to his physics and metaphysics or it is an autonomous area of contemplation? 2. Is the philosophy of Hobbes immanently intelligible, as a system of interrelated suppositions or it is to be interpreted out of the historical context of his published works? 3. Is his bellum omnium contra omnes merely an intellectual construction or this notion can be referred to the historical and universal facts of social life design? |
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113–122
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In the Social Science, as different from the history of ideas, the steady preconception of viewing Hobbes as the philosopher who considered human to be a rational and selfish being exists. Such human beings in their natural condition set the war of all against all, but only the strong power can preserve them in the condition of peace. However true Hobbesian views as to the human relationships have almost nothing in common with these trivial suggestion. The article deals with some aspects of Hobbesian anthropology and his doctrine of the virtue. It is argued that the social order is represented by Hobbes as very agile and complex in its structure. At the first glance his philosophy could seem very legible and solely constructivist, designed as the triumph of coherence and implacable logic. At depth - it is not even contradictory, but the terrain of the questions without any answers. |
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