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The Evolution of Social Institutions: Interdisciplinary Perspectives
Springer, 2020.
Bondarenko D. M., Kowalewski S., Birch J., Claessen H. M., Kradin N., Nemirovsky A., Korotayev A., Hui V. T., Kim N., Small D., Shchavelev A., Marey A. V., Baskin K., Pozdnyakova A., Denisova T., Harris L., Dye D., Aleksandrov G., Beekman C., Stanish C., Roscoe P., Davletshin A.
Editor-in-chief: Bondarenko D. M., S. Kowalewski, D. Small
This book presents a novel and innovative approach to the study of social evolution using case studies from the Old and the New World, from prehistory to the present. This approach is based on examining social evolution through the evolution of social institutions. Evolution is defined as the process of structural change. Within this framework the society, or culture, is seen as a system composed of a vast number of social institutions that are constantly interacting and changing. As a result, the structure of society as a whole is also evolving and changing.
The authors posit that the combination of evolving social institutions explains the non-linear character of social evolution and that every society develops along its own pathway and pace. Within this framework, society should be seen as the result of the compound effect of the interactions of social institutions specific to it. Further, the transformation of social institutions and relations between them is taking place not only within individual societies but also globally, as institutions may be trans-societal, and even institutions that operate in one society can arise as a reaction to trans-societal trends and demands.
The book argues that it may be more productive to look at institutions even within a given society as being parts of trans-societal systems of institutions since, despite their interconnectedness, societies still have boundaries, which their members usually know and respect. Accordingly, the book is a must-read for researchers and scholars in various disciplines who are interested in a better understanding of the origins, history, successes and failures of social institutions.
Chapters
Bondarenko D. M., , in: The Evolution of Social Institutions: Interdisciplinary Perspectives.: Springer, 2020. Ch. 1 P. 1–25.
Introduction describes the main aim of the volume as to present a novel approach to the study of social evolution. This approach is based on a look at, and analysis of social evolution through the evolution of social institutions associated with the rise and development of social complexity. Evolution is defined as the process of ...
Added: August 31, 2020
Bondarenko D. M., , in: The Evolution of Social Institutions: Interdisciplinary Perspectives.: Springer, 2020. Ch. 3 P. 51–78.
Aside from complexity measured in levels of political integration, societies as systems of social institutions have another fundamental characteristic that can be called a “basic principle of societal organization.” The principle of organization a society embodies depends on the way its institutions are arranged with respect to one another. Two basic principles can be distinguished: ...
Added: August 31, 2020
Bondarenko D. M., , in: The Evolution of Social Institutions: Interdisciplinary Perspectives.: Springer, 2020. Ch. 15 P. 337–357.
The chapter provides an anthropological analysis of the sociopolitical system of the Benin Kingdom (in contemporary Southwestern Nigeria) from coming to power of the Second (Oba) Dynasty presumably in the mid-13th century till the British conquest in 1897. The course of formation of this system of institutions and its basic characteristic features are outlined. It ...
Added: August 31, 2020
Щавелев А. С., , in: The Evolution of Social Institutions: Interdisciplinary Perspectives.: Springer, 2020. Ch. 11 P. 283–292.
The key goal of the chapter is to summaries the most promising ideas and approaches to to the social organization of the people named the Rus’ of the 9th – 10th centuries and to the history of the Rurikid polity created by one of such groups around Kiev in the 10th century. This Rurikid local polity appeared circa 900. It was not ...
Added: October 30, 2020
Marey A.V., , in: The Evolution of Social Institutions: Interdisciplinary Perspectives.: Springer, 2020. Ch. 13 P. 293–309.
The author discusses the royal power theory as it was developed and accepted in the Castilian Kingdom of the mid-thirteenth–early fourteenth centuries. The central figure of the chapter is the king of Castile and Leon Alfonso X the Wise (1252–1284). Claiming his rights not only to the throne of Castile but also to the Holy ...
Added: October 31, 2020
Gleb V. Aleksandrov, , in: The Evolution of Social Institutions: Interdisciplinary Perspectives.: Springer, 2020. P. 471–494.
Added: November 23, 2020
Alexander A. Nemirovsky, , in: The Evolution of Social Institutions: Interdisciplinary Perspectives.: Springer, 2020. P. 133–159.
The chapter deals with main institutional and conceptual aspects of transition of Assyrian polity from city-state with a quite limited power of hereditary rulers to territorial state and Empire with royal autocracy and developed bureaucratic apparatus at the latter’s disposal. That process took place in the mid-fourteenth–early thirteenth centuries BCE. The situations before and after ...
Added: November 29, 2020
Davletshin A., , in: The Evolution of Social Institutions: Interdisciplinary Perspectives.: Springer, 2020. Ch. 27 P. 627–656.
Polynesian Outliers represent several independent migrations from Western Polynesia into Melanesia and Micronesia, which developed in significant isolation under the pressure of severe ecological constraints. Their typical size is a few hundred persons and it is well documented that some reduced to less than twenty persons in the nineteenth century. Surprisingly, these societies were complex, ...
Added: December 8, 2020
Korotayev A., , in: The Evolution of Social Institutions: Interdisciplinary Perspectives.: Springer, 2020. Ch. 7 P. 161–184.
In the late 1st millennium BCE, a relatively strong Ancient Sabaean state was transformed into the Middle Sabaean political system consisting of a weak state in its center and strong chiefdoms on its periphery. In the 1st millennium CE, the North-East Yemen political system consisting of a weak state in its center and strong chiefdoms ...
Added: February 2, 2021
Research target:
Sociology (including Demography and Anthropology
Language:
English
Publication based on the results of:
Gromova A., М.: КноРус, 2023.
Учебное пособие по лингвострановедению предназначено для востоковедов, изучающих персидский язык в рамках различных специализаций: регионоведение, филология, история и политология, экономическое развитие стран Ближнего и Среднего Востока. Пособие знакомит с реалиями современной иранской жизни и национальными новостными ресурсами, широко использует материалы Интернета. Книга оставляет известную свободу в выборе материала для занятий в зависимости от уровня владения ...
Added: June 29, 2026
Artemenko E., Koltsova O., Terpilovskii M., Journal of Health Communication 2026
Health misinformation undermines public well-being, yet most research conceptualizes fact-checking as an external intervention targeting false messages only. This obscures the effects of counter-messages on initially truthful statements and diverts attention from fact-checking as a user-driven practice. This study advances misinformation research by examining fact-checking as a spontaneous, naturalistic user behavior, captured via indirect behavioral ...
Added: June 29, 2026
Кузнецова П. О., Демографическое обозрение 2026 Т. 13 № 2 С. 37–70
This paper presents
an analysis of the dynamics and factors of infant mortality in Russian regions from
1927 to 2022, using data from Demoscope Weekly and the Russian Fertility and Mortality Database. Despite the
significance of regional factors in infant mortality, particul
arly in the early stages of the observed period, the period
effect was generally more important. Thus, nationwide ...
Added: June 29, 2026
Рубан М. Г., Kozhemyakin E., Коммуникативные исследования 2026 Т. 13 № 2 С. 325–341
The paper discusses the results of the research of mediating romantic datings in pre-digital era. The authors note the imbalance in research interest, which is focused primarily on digital dating practices, the unprecedented nature of which mediatization is often exaggerated. The paper examines historically persistent patterns of dating, mediated by communication technologies characteristic of the ...
Added: June 29, 2026
Shams S., International Review of Sociology 2026 Vol. 36 No. 1 P. 262–289
Vertical disintegration reshaped economic activity and especially
employment, with the rise of contractual networks for the
production and distribution of goods and services that were once
under direct corporate control. With minor exceptions, much of
the recent research shows the decline in working conditions that
accompanies the demise of promotion trajectories, predictable
pay, and generally retentive labor practices that were a ...
Added: June 27, 2026
Shams S., International Sociology 2026 Vol. 4 No. 2 P. 183–190
The socioeconomic gap between the top earners and the remainder of the population has
expanded dramatically in the past few decades. Social scientists have been examining this issue
from several theoretical and empirical perspectives. Recently, the observation that the extent
and type of current global inequality is paralleling that of medieval feudalism is gaining a foothold.
This essay examines ...
Added: June 27, 2026
Рахманова Л. Я., Этнографическое обозрение 2026 № 3 С. 100–121
This article has a three-level structure: starting with specific examples in the field of food ethnography, I move on to the level of classifications that differentiate between raw and cooked, edible and dangerous, and alive and dead. This narrow focus on classifications, which has been used in anthropology for decades as a working language for ...
Added: June 25, 2026
Tulaeva S. A., Semushkina E. S., Мир России: Социология, этнология 2026 Т. 35 № 3 С. 47–75
Most studies investigating involvement in collective action in environmental protection relate it either to general sociocultural attitudes in society at the macro level or to the strategic actions of eco-activists in specific cases at the micro level. In the first case, this makes it possible to explain variations in environmental actions between different societies/countries; in ...
Added: June 23, 2026
Denisenko M. B., Kvasha E. A., Хавраева Ю. В., Демографическое обозрение 2025 No. ENGLISH SELECTION 2025 P. 1–25
For a long historical period, infant mortality has significantly contributed to the overall mortality rate of the population in Russia and its regions. This article examines the dynamics of infant mortality in the capital, Moscow, from 1939 to 1949. It analyses changes in the structure of infant mortality by age at death and causes of ...
Added: June 22, 2026
Kazun A. D., Мир России: Социология, этнология 2026 Т. 35 № 3 С. 101–121
This study analyzes interviews with news avoiders to identify the underlying motivations for this behavior. News avoidance is interpreted by informants as a purposeful action—a deliberate, rational choice based on an assessment of the benefits of news and the costs of consuming it. While interviewees predominantly cite the negative impact on emotional well-being and physical ...
Added: June 19, 2026
Moshnyaga E., Иностранные языки в школе 2025 № 9 С. 16–24
This article analyzes the new context of interaction in educational spaces created by the changed conditions in the realization of international educational programs, specifically the emergence of the dissimilar Other student. Multicultural classes bring together representatives of a wide variety of cultures, often unfamiliar to the host culture and/or hostile to one another, leading to ...
Added: June 16, 2026
Томск: Издательство Томского государственного университета, 2025.
This collection is based on papers presented by participants at the XXXV International Scientific Conference "Language and Culture: Milestones, Traditions, Innovations." The materials presented in this publication address current issues in theoretical and applied linguistics and literary studies, the psychological, pedagogical, and sociocultural aspects of foreign language teaching, and important issues in translation and intercultural ...
Added: June 16, 2026
Moshnyaga E., Хуссейн И., Человек: образ и сущность. Гуманитарные аспекты 2025 № 4(64) С. 125–147
The article examines a series of cross-cultural cases that reveal the problems of intercultural interaction of dissimilar Others in the educational space of a university implementing international programs and conceptualized as a glocal eduscape. Based on the analysis of problem situations in the cases, solutions are proposed based on the understanding that successful interaction of ...
Added: June 16, 2026
Barsukova S., Denisova-Schmidt E., Мир России: Социология, этнология 2026 Vol. 35 No. 1 P. 106–139
The Russo-Ukrainian military conflict has forced many people in both countries to leave their homes. Based on original data sets collected in the capitals of Armenia and Georgia in November and December 2023, including in-depth interviews with migrants and domestic experts as well as participant observation, this paper focuses on the recent migration wave from ...
Added: June 15, 2026
Savinskaya O., Комплексные исследования детства 2025 Т. 7 № 4 С. 295–297
On 13 November 2025, the round table entitled ‘Children as a Hardto-Reach Group: Access, Trust, Rapport’ was held within the framework of the Seventh All-Russian Sociological Congress at the Higher School of Economics. The session addressed methodological challenges in childhood studies and brought together expert sociologists to discuss the applicability of existing research methods in ...
Added: June 14, 2026
Maksimenko A., Дейнека О. С., Krylova D., АНО Центр социальных инициатив, 2026.
Книга представляет собой первое всеобъемлющее исследование феномена коррупции с позиций социальной и экономической психологии с акцентом на изучение механизмов общественного осуждения и личностного порицания.
В отличие от традиционных подходов, изучающих восприятие коррупции, отношение к ней или предрасположенность (в том числе склонность) к коррупционному поведению, в работе рассматриваются факторы, определяющие степень морального осуждения и формирования индивидуальных и ...
Added: June 13, 2026
Barkhatova L., Социологические исследования 2026 № 5 С. 71–83
The article conceptualizes the methodological potential of hyperlink network analysis as a tool of empirical reconstruction of social interaction through digital traces. Using the partnership network of Russia’s artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem as a case, the paper presents an original analytical framework for translating technical hyperlink data into sociological categories. The study describes a full ...
Added: June 12, 2026
Алексашина А. О., Русских С. В., Тырановец С. В. et al., Менеджер здравоохранения 2026 № 4 С. 53–60
Given the increasing prevalence of carbohydrate metabolism disorders in pregnant women, a validated tool is needed to assess the competencies of physicians involved in the multidisciplinary management of this pathology.
Objective. A comprehensive validation of the author’s methodology (questionnaire) «Flowchart “Methodology for assessing the professional potential of medical personnel of endocrinologists, obstetrician-gynecologists, and general practitioners in ...
Added: June 11, 2026
Белякова Н. А., Бучатская Ю. В., Гараев Д. М. et al., Антропологический форум 2026 Т. 68 С. 11–144
This “Forum” discusses various aspects of critical heritage studies: the current state of this research field, its internal and external boundaries, the specifics of the Russian context, conceptual and methodological problems, current and perspective issues. The participants reflect on their personal experience of existence in the field of heritage, including a combination of an involved/applied and ...
Added: June 11, 2026
Rean A., Шевченко А. О., Ставцев А. А. et al., Социальная психология и общество 2025 Т. 16 № 4 С. 49–70
Context and relevance. Values play a significant role in socialization processes and can serve as a psychological resource in difficult life situations under conditions of limited material wellbeing. Theoretical foundations of the study include the value models of Sh. Schwartz and R. Inglehart, as well as the concept of economic socialization. Objective. To identify the ...
Added: June 9, 2026
Национальные рейтинги ответственного бизнеса России и Китая: сравнительный анализ и прогноз развития
Krivokhizhin O., Vukovic N., Smirnova V., Стандарты и качество 2026 № 5 С. 105–109
The issues related to the national responsible business ratings of China and Russia are examined, their common features and significant differences are highlighted. The quantitative and qualitative analysis of data from the Russian national EPS rating for 2025 and the Chinese corporate social credit system (CSCS) rating were used. The study revealed that Russia and ...
Added: June 9, 2026
Gavrilov K., Zabolotsky A., Kartasheva A. et al., BRICS Expert Council-Russia, 2026.
This study was prepared on the initiative of the BRICS Civil Society Council with the aim of a systematic analysis of the sector of non-profit organizations (NPOs) in the countries of the association. As of February 2025, the BRICS includes ten states: Brazil, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, China, UAE, Russia, Ethiopia, South Africa. Within the framework ...
Added: June 5, 2026
Klimov I., Chepeleva M., Gavrilov K. et al., Civil BRICS Council, 2026.
This research study was conducted at the initiative of the Civil BRICS Council for the purpose
of performing a systemic analysis of the non-profit sector (hereinafter, the ‘NPO sector’),
encompassing both non-profit organizations (NPOs) and non-governmental organizations
(NGOs), in each of the constituent member countries of BRICS. Since February 2025, BRICS
has consisted of 10 member states: Brazil, China, ...
Added: June 5, 2026
Kravtsova M., Musaev A. U., Welzel C., / Series "SSRN Working Paper Series". 2026.
Elaborating on Welzel et al.'s "Cool Water Theory," our study zooms into the more limited (albeit still varied) framework conditions of Russia's huge territory. Within Russia's confines, we examine how the combination of moderately cool seasons with steady rain (i.e., Cool Water) affects sub-national areas' contemporary societal progress in two modernization indicators: material prosperity in ...
Added: June 3, 2026