Settlement as a subject of local politics: Theoretical background of research

The article is dedicated to the conceptual framework for political analysis of municipalities at their «lowest» level of settlements. To achieve this goal the author presents the survey of existing theories (local government, city regimes, mediation and structuration, place in politics, locality) and operationalizes them for the smallest units of subnational politics. According to the article the settlement can be studied from three points of view. Firstly, the settlement is a local administrative unit, in Russia - municipality of the lowest level being subdivision of municipal rayon . Secondly, the settlement can be studied as a local political community. From this point the settlement becomes a political actor and not just an administrative unit acquiring qualities of political subject. In such cases settlements become the areas where specific political interests and/or identities are formed. However such developments are not necessarily confined to the administrative borders of settlements. Thirdly, the settlement is a possible area of local political regime. From this point we pay much attention towards local political actors such as interest groups, parties, bureaucratic groups, social movements etc. Their study has a great potential in Russia.

поселение, место, локалитет, местное самоуправление, городской режим, локальный политический режим, локальная политика, settlement, place, locality, local government, city regime, local political regime, local politics

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