30 January – 03 February 2012, Samara, Russia

The need for change is recognized and formulated in various forms and at all levels in societies all over the world not only in the countries in transition and non-democratic regimes, but also in the USA and the well-off European Union countries. Scholars are involved in solving social issues and do research of ways to modernize various spheres of economy and social policy. Russian researchers deal with the issues of social change, too. Russian expert forum “Strategy 2020” works on developing models of economic growth, pension system reform, development of local self-government, education, development of public institutions. Is the need for social changes limited to these directions of reforms tackled by the Russian experts? What strategies for social changes are possible and most acceptable in the modern world?

We see a strategy for social changes as a way of achieving a desired pattern of social order. The analysis of the strategy includes the study of such elements as the subjects and the objects of the strategy implementation, methods of its implementation, the channels of communication, etc. We welcome papers on, but not limited to, the following subjects:

• Modern instruments of social changes: social entrepreneurship,social movements, social marketing.
• The new role ofthe judiciaryin politics.
• Methods and instruments of social changes considered separately and in relations to the participants,subjects and objects of the social changes.
• Ideasof social order: socialism, capitalism, post-industrialism- what next?
• Utopia and dystopiain art,socio-political discourseand possiblerealisation of these phenomena in reality. Forms of expressionofsocial ideals.
• Transformation ofthe idealsin the process ofsocial changes: from revolutiontocounterrevolution,from utopia todystopia, fromdemocracy to dictatorship.
• Economic changessocial changes.The Role ofEconomicsin the processof social changes:cause, effect,inducement,tool. The relationship betweeneconomic systemandsocial order.Is afree market possiblein an non-democraticsociety?Does a democratic societyhave to have a marketeconomy?Management of expectationsas an instrument ofeconomic reforms.
• The roleof socialspheresinsocial changes: the media, internet, legal system, education, artistic creation.
• “Of desert lands the freedom planter…”. Trends of social changes. Can social changes occur top down? “Do herds need freedom…”
• The roleof social groupsinsocial andeconomic transformations.

The Winter School will include three panels, dedicated to:
1. Instruments and methods of social changes.
2. Ideals of social order.
3. Objects and subjects of social changes.