Research directions of the social structure

Abstract

The article raises some theoretical and methodological research questions of the social structure. Answers to these questions, in my opinion, could contribute to adequate analysis of the standards of contemporary society and would highlight the importance of the trends of the development of social processes and events. In my opinion, the aspect of the applied social structure research in contemporary society is particularly important since these highlighted trends could be an effective instrument (measure) for developing the social policy and reducing social exclusion. In this article, firstly, I present the version of the conception of social structure. Secondly, I emphasize the significance of the social time and environment (location) as the essential components of the definition of any social research. Further, I distinguish the main factors, which determine the development of social structure of the contemporary societies. First of all, these factors are the revolutionary brake through in the sphere of science and technology, which paradoxically increase social exclusion in the world. Finally, I characterize the main trends of the research of social structure, allotting the social institutional, social demographic, territorial, employment and social class levels.