Common Research Interest: Welfare Studies

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Throughout the year, the HSE International Laboratory for Social Integration Research (ILSIR) is hosting consulting seminars on ‘Care and Welfare in Post-Socialist Eurasia: Institutions, Discourses, Identities’ with presentations by leading foreign experts. The first seminar in the series, ‘Conceptualising Social Activism’ was held on April 4 with the participation of Professor Linda Cook, Academic Supervisor of HSE ILSIR. The second one will take place on April 18.

Elena Iarskaia-Smirnova

Head of the International Laboratory for Social Integration Research

The long academic cooperation between ILSIR and our international colleagues has always been based on common research interests and a desire to develop research projects, organise academic events, and prepare publications.

At the beginning of this year, we focused on analysing various aspects of social development in post-socialist Eurasia. This led to the launch of a series of seminars with foreign colleagues who have extensive experience studying inclusive values and beliefs, as well as society's attitudes towards vulnerable populations in post-socialist countries, including in the context of social policy, opportunities for social integration, and care.

During her seminar, Prof. Linda Cook noted that the study of social movements requires the integration of multiple research perspectives. For example, several theoretical frameworks are commonly used to study the development of social movements, which can be seen as organised efforts by a significant number of people to change or resist changes in an important aspect of society or policy (social policy):

Stage 1

Psychological theory, which explains the behaviour of socially-oriented, initiative groups (in terms of irrational behaviour, based on psychological motives)

Stage 2

Marxist theory, which suggests that people come together in collective movements to form a certain social consciousness (for example, the assumption that the working class would unite and resist under external challenges)

Stage 3

The theory of new social movements (such as feminism, environmentalism, and constructivism), which explains the motivation of people joining them from the perspective of the public good of their socially oriented activities and their pursuit of justice

The next seminars in the ‘Care and Welfare in Post-Socialist Eurasia: Institutions, Discourses, Identities’ series will be as follows:

• Seminar with Linda Cook on ‘“Special path” Discourse in Framing Political News on Russian TV’. April 18, 2023, 6 pm, Moscow time. Learn more.
• Seminar with Dr Charlie Walker, PhD, associate professor at the University of Southampton, on ‘Public Attitudes Towards Vulnerable Groups in Russia. A Case of Alzheimer's Disease’. April 20, 2023, 1 pm, Moscow time. Learn more.

Everyone interested is welcome to attend.