Klimova S.G., Shcherbakova I.V. The experience of research of the Territorial Context of Civic Engagement

Текст статьи.

Abstract

The article raises the problem of the limitations of existing practices and technologies of mass surveys, which are ignored in the formal statistical analysis of the characteristics of the areas, where they are held. This leads to limited interpretive possibilities, excessive psychologizing conclusions, small fitness results for management decision making. The experiment showed that not all statistics, which were included in the database of the survey, were related to indicators of civic participation. Five indicators among 14, included in the analysis, showed the link with the required sign – civic participation: the size of the town; migration growth / loss; the average monthly salary; accommodation in the area of agglomeration up to 110 km; historical settlements. Authors come to a conclusion, that if experiments, dedicated to searching possible implantation of statistical data in the material mass surveys, were continued, sociologists would set a task for the selection of data, most relevant research tasks. It is possible, that we will find the universal signs of mood and assess of residents for most of all traditional sociological research themes, and unique signs, characterized only by a certain topic. The selection of relevant statistics, the development of technologies for their production and inclusion in sociological analysis will increase value of conclusions and generalizations that sociologists do. It is also possible that, in addition to statistics, nonstatistical data should be included in the region-context parameters. For example, they could be the characteristics of the climate (supplementary work is required to assess the suitability of the existing characteristics of climatic zones for the purposes of sociological analysis); characteristics of industrial specialization that define features of the local elites, and so forth.

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