Life Orientation for Inhabitants of the Southern Federal District in the Context of Modern-Day Life

• Main Authors: Posuhova Oksana Y., Serikov
• Format: Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences 2016-03-01
• Series: Вестник Института социологии
• Subjects: social health; daily routine; life interests; conflictogenic potential; national security; protest sentiments; anxiety
• Online Access: http:///files/File/Vestnik_2016_16/Posukhova,Serikov.pdf

This article cites data collected while carrying out a social research survey entitled “On vital issues of our lives”, implemented within the framework of the following planned subject: “Studying the dynamics of the changing socio-economic and socio-political situation in regions of the Southern Federal District”. Despite the fact that this study was based on instruments and methodology developed by scientists from the Institute of Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, our regional project can be called a search study, since we did not develop its theoretical model from the ground up, along with the main issues for investigation – in fact, they were implicitly borrowed from our Moscow-based colleagues. This article examines the characteristics of adaptation processes for the regional community under conditions of sanctions and economic crisis: this allows us to define two basic strategies for solving life problems – active and passive. It should be noted that a stable portion of respondents who prefer individualized and purposeful adaptation strategies (such as maintaining their level of income and quality of life) was registered. We were able to establish that orientation towards stability is dominant when it comes to the more important life guidelines, while partaking in politics, being a part of social and political organizations, is clearly at the bottom of the list, which can be explained by the evident distrust in such social institutions. A continuing current tendency is mass protest potential being only partly politicized, despite the ongoing attempts to give social protest in Russia a political demeanor and direct it towards undermining the legitimacy of fundamental state institutions. One notable observation is a certain level of radicalization among part of the population – namely, those who are ready to rise in arms in the name of their rights.