SOCIOLOGY OF THE FAMILY IN RUSSIA: METHODOLOGICAL PROJECTIONS AND ACTUAL RESEARCH PRACTICES

The article deals with the specific features of the family studies subject area in Russian sociology today. The aim of the article is a revision of subject boundaries and methodological problems of the family sociology. The novelty of the work is in identifying the externalist and internalist factors, differentiating the sociological research methodology of marriage and family relations from the one in other sciences. The paper is into two main parts. In the first part the basic methodological approaches of scientific research in marriage and family sphere are revealed; there are structural and functional analysis, conflictological paradigm, theories of human behavior interpretation (phenomenology, ethnomethodology, dramaturgical approach, symbolic interactionism, exchange theory), institutionalism, feminist concepts. The author argues the possibility of integrating objectivist and subjectivist methodological projections for better sociological understanding of the marriage and family behavior in the context of transformation of the family as a social institute. The second part deals with actual research practices of family studies in Russian sociology. It is showed that the most developed subject fields of family studies in Russian sociology are: socialization and upbringing in the family; interethnic marriages; types of families and forms of family life style; family and marriage ideas, values and attitudes of youth; families of risk groups; the role of gender in marriage and family relations. The author comes to the conclusion about the tendency to overcome the cognitive one-sidedness of various methodological approaches, as well as macro- and microsociology of the family, in an attempt to create a comprehensive sociological family theory.