Traditional and new solidarity practices in the universe of consumer goods and resources

Traditional and new solidarity practices in the universe of consumer goods and resources


Shabanova M.A.

Dr. Sci.(Soc.), Professor, Lead Research Associate, the Center for Studies of Civil Society and the Nonprofit Sector, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia mshabanova@hse.ru

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For citation:

Shabanova M.A. Traditional and new solidarity practices in the universe of consumer goods and resources. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. 2017. No 8. P. 31-44




Abstract

The paper addresses various types of socio-economic solidarity practices within the framework of strengthening/expanding civil society in Russia. It aims to advance in conceptualizing the nature of the new solidarity practices and the factors fostering their development based on the comparison of the new practices with the traditional (monetary donations, volunteer labor, donating clothes and other articles to the people in need) and socio-political ones. The new practices are represented by the socially responsible (ethical) consumption whose nature remains unclear, thus far. The data of a representative empirical survey (2014 N=2000) are provided indicating the degree of an overlap, common and specific factors that affect the development of various solidarity practices. The analysis shows that new socio-economic practices are more likely to evolve on the basis of the traditional ones, thereby expanding the traditional solidarity channels. The paper concludes that the new socio-economic practices are by nature less pro-social as compared to the traditional ones. The argument is made for the need to create additional conditions fostering the development of the new practices through the concerted efforts of authorities, corporate, nongovernmental organizations and media.


Keywords
social solidarity; monetary donations; volunteer labor; new social practices; ethical / responsible / sustainable consumption; civil society; NGOs

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Content No 8, 2017