Open research questions in Sociopolitical Dynamics in Russia

What the literature leaves open

• The increasing complexity of describing social reality creates a need for more effective sociological research methods. The risks of society's distorted self-description highlight the importance of representativeness in sociological research.

  Representativeness in the self-description of societies. Towards an understanding of the legacy of М. S. Kosolapov · 2026 · DOI

• The study identifies a gap in the literature regarding the relationship between cultural values and subjective perceptions of borscht. The research highlights the need to consider the cultural context of food and its relationship to national identity.

  UKRAINIAN BORSCHT AS A SIGNIFIER OF NATIONAL IDENTITY: BETWEEN TRADITION AND MODERNITY · 2026 · DOI

• Further research can explore the application of the concept of societal dynamics to social policies. It can examine the use of synergetic perspective in social analysis. The paper's results can be used as a foundation for future studies on social processes.

  Genesis and evolution of the concept of societal in the social and human sciences. Part 2. Receptions of the concept of the “societal” in Ukrainian academic discourse · 2026 · DOI

• The lack of a direct analogue to the Western term “societal” in Ukrainian tradition. The need for a methodological perspective for analyzing social processes.

  Genesis and evolution of the concept of societal in the social and human sciences. Part 2. Receptions of the concept of the “societal” in Ukrainian academic discourse · 2026 · DOI

• Future research could explore the experiences of older women in other cultural contexts. The study suggests the need for further research on the impact of war and loss on family life in Russia.

  Anna Shadrina (2025). The Babushka Phenomenon: Older Women and the Political Sociology of Ageing in Russia. London: UCL Press, 176 pp. ISBN: 978-1-80008-910-5 (epub). · 2026 · DOI

• The book identifies a gap in the literature on the experiences of older women in Russia. The study highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of the complexities of Russian society.

  Anna Shadrina (2025). The Babushka Phenomenon: Older Women and the Political Sociology of Ageing in Russia. London: UCL Press, 176 pp. ISBN: 978-1-80008-910-5 (epub). · 2026 · DOI

• The paper identifies a gap in understanding the sociological functions of utopian thinking. The author aims to address this gap by discussing the transition from an authoritarian to a democratic political system.

  Sociological Functions of Utopian Thinking · 2026 · DOI

• The cultural and institutional context in which fatherhood is experienced can be a challenge for fathers' involvement in shared care arrangements. The lack of policy support for shared custody can be a barrier for fathers. The societal expectation of mothers as the default parents can be a challenge for fathers to navigate.

  “This Kind of Thing Does Not Really Exist in Russia”: Russian Fathers Negotiating Shared Care Arrangements · 2026 · DOI

• The lack of understanding of how Russian fathers negotiate shared custody and challenge the model of marginalized fatherhood. The need to explore the experiences of Russian fathers in shared care arrangements.

  “This Kind of Thing Does Not Really Exist in Russia”: Russian Fathers Negotiating Shared Care Arrangements · 2026 · DOI

• The challenge of representing 'lived experience' in a way that is respectful and nuanced. The challenge of balancing the need to understand and alleviate social suffering with the risk of exploiting or victimizing marginalized individuals.

  Unlived Experience: Tretyakov’s Life History Writing and De-Victimization · 2026 · DOI

• Future research can explore the application of the 'bio-interview' genre in various contexts. Future research can examine the effectiveness of the 'bio-interview' genre in representing marginalized individuals.

  Unlived Experience: Tretyakov’s Life History Writing and De-Victimization · 2026 · DOI

• The paper identifies a gap in understanding the complex and dynamic nature of identity among diasporic communities. The study highlights the need to consider the polyphonic dimension of identity in understanding the experiences of Polish Armenians.

  Polish Armenians: Polyphonic identity and the ethnic continuum · 2026 · DOI

• The study identifies a gap in understanding the ideological foundations of Eastern and Western political thought. The research aims to address the lack of comparative analysis of the political doctrines of Eastern and Western thinkers.

  The Concept of Political Ideology and Its Interpretation in the Teachings of Eastern and Western Thinkers · 2026 · DOI

• The paper identifies a gap in the understanding of the role of art activism in shaping cultural meanings in Kazakhstan. The study highlights the importance of considering the socio-political context of Kazakhstan.

  Art-activism in Kazakhstan: socio-political analysis of value memes · 2026 · DOI

• Further research could explore the applicability of the study's findings to other post-Soviet contexts. The development of more inclusive and community-driven approaches to cultural heritage preservation could be investigated. The study's methodology could be applied to other architectural or historical contexts.

  Beyond Postmodernism: Contested Narratives of 1980s Latvian Rural Architecture · 2026 · DOI

• The gap between professional narratives and local views of the centres. The lack of consideration for the lived experiences of the people who inhabit the buildings. The need for a more inclusive historical narrative that challenges the urban-centric view.

  Beyond Postmodernism: Contested Narratives of 1980s Latvian Rural Architecture · 2026 · DOI

• The presence of a significant number of carriers of Soviet identity within Ukrainian society - The need for a more nuanced understanding of the processes of decommunization and decolonization - The challenge of promoting national consolidation and identity formation in Ukraine

  The Role of Decommunization and Decolonization in the Formation of National Identity: the Case of Mykolaiv · 2026 · DOI

• The study identifies a gap in the existing literature on the role of decommunization and decolonization in the formation of national identity in Ukraine. The paper addresses the need for a more nuanced understanding of the processes of decommunization and decolonization in the context of generational change.

  The Role of Decommunization and Decolonization in the Formation of National Identity: the Case of Mykolaiv · 2026 · DOI

• Future research could explore the implications of the study's findings for contemporary education policies and practices. The study's conclusions could inform further research on the role of education in promoting critical thinking and democratic values.

  Education as Discipline: Power, Ideology, and the Soviet School System, 1917–1939 · 2026 · DOI

• The study identifies a gap in understanding the role of education in modern authoritarian and hybrid regimes. The research highlights the need to consider the dual role of education, as a means of individual development and as an instrument of political discipline.

  Education as Discipline: Power, Ideology, and the Soviet School System, 1917–1939 · 2026 · DOI

• The paper identifies a gap in the understanding of the everyday life of the rural population of Ukraine in 1985-1991, - The study aims to fill this gap by analyzing the effectiveness of the official ideology at the level of everyday experience.

  Daily Life of the Rural Population of Ukraine 1985–1991 · 2026 · DOI

• The destruction of the remnants of the sovereignty of national statehood and the washing out of national consciousness - The destruction of the foundations of Ukrainian identity

  «SHOT-OFF REVIVAL», ACTIVITIES OF THE SIXTEENTH, DISSIDIANS AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVITIES AS A MOVEMENT FOR THE PRESERVATION OF UKRAINIAN IDENTITY · 2026 · DOI

• It may be useful to extend this theory using other cases and studying the role of digital media on political identity and nationalism. Future research can explore the application of the proposed model in different contexts and regions. The study can be replicated in other countries to test the generalizability of the findings.

  Building a New Model of Political Identity and Its Influence on Nationalism in Contemporary Global Conflicts · 2026 · DOI

• The study of political identity has been complicated by globalization, technology, and the changing geopolitical tensions. There is a need for a comprehensive structure for comprehending political identity and nationalism. The relationships between politics and identity have been underexplored in the context of global conflicts.

  Building a New Model of Political Identity and Its Influence on Nationalism in Contemporary Global Conflicts · 2026 · DOI

• The gap in the current research is the lack of analysis of the main tools used in modern information warfare aimed at transforming the values and meanings of contemporary Russian youth.

  Information Warfare Tools for Changing the Value-Semantic Orientations · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Sociopolitical Dynamics in Russia

• The USSR as a Communal Apartment, or How a Socialist State Promoted Ethnic Particularism · Slavic Review · 1994 · 443 citations
• Strategic unknowns: towards a sociology of ignorance · Economy and Society · 2012 · 376 citations
• Influences of Adaptation to Communist Rule on Value Priorities in Eastern Europe · Political Psychology · 1997 · 284 citations
• A Culturalist Theory of Political Change · American Political Science Review · 1988 · 256 citations
• Conceptualizing Culture: Possibilities for Political Science · American Political Science Review · 2002 · 230 citations
• Political Ritual and Social Integration · Sociology · 1975 · 221 citations
• On Semiotic Ideology · Signs and Society · 2018 · 220 citations
• A Structurationist Account of Political Culture · Administrative Science Quarterly · 1983 · 211 citations
• Individualisation, Choice and Structure: A Discussion of Current Trends in Sociological Analysis · The Sociological Review · 2005 · 211 citations
• The Mirror Image in Soviet‐American Relations: A Social Psychologist's Report · Journal of Social Issues · 1961 · 209 citations

Most recent work

• Bringing Bildung into the History of Political Thought: Revisiting the Historiography of the Scandinavian Citizen · History of European Ideas · 2026
• “This Kind of Thing Does Not Really Exist in Russia”: Russian Fathers Negotiating Shared Care Arrangements · Social Inclusion · 2026
• Electoral adaptation under crisis agenda and digitalization: results of an expert survey on European practices and the prospects of the Russian electoral system · Sociopolitical Sciences · 2026
• Representativeness in the self-description of societies. Towards an understanding of the legacy of М. S. Kosolapov · Sociology: methodology, methods, mathematical modeling (Sociology: 4M) · 2026
• Mass Reading in Russia in the Era of Change (1970-1990s) · Book. Reading. Media · 2026
• Peripheral Soft Power: Civilizational Competition Between Russia and Turkey Over the Sakha People · International Journal on Minority and Group Rights · 2026
• UKRAINIAN BORSCHT AS A SIGNIFIER OF NATIONAL IDENTITY: BETWEEN TRADITION AND MODERNITY · Trames Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences · 2026
• Underappreciated ideas of Valeriy Khmelko · Sociology Theory Methods Marketing · 2026
• Genesis and evolution of the concept of societal in the social and human sciences. Part 2. Receptions of the concept of the “societal” in Ukrainian academic discourse · Sociology Theory Methods Marketing · 2026
• Anna Shadrina (2025). The Babushka Phenomenon: Older Women and the Political Sociology of Ageing in Russia. London: UCL Press, 176 pp. ISBN: 978-1-80008-910-5 (epub). · International Journal of Ageing and Later Life · 2026

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