SOCIO-SPATIAL TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE TERRITORY OF YAMAL: EXPERIENCE OF SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
The article discusses problems of socio-spatial transformations of the Northern Territory related to the development of one of the most promising oil and gas Arctic regions of Russia. The possibilities of their solving are described. The authors and their colleagues conducted interdisciplinary and sociological research, including mass surveys of the population of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District according to the representative samples in 2005, 2010 and 2015 and sociological diagnosis of their results in the context of different social groups of respondents (the old-timers, including representatives of indigenous peoples, new settlers, rotational staff). These studies revealed the characteristic features of the Arctic region social problems and requirements for scientific support for options of their solutions. When considering the theoretical-methodological and practical problems, the authors provide the power structures with information necessary for preparation and adoption of effective administrative decisions. This information cannot be obtained by other means, in particular, with the help of statistics. This thesis is illustrated by the situation with the indigenous peoples of the North, the other groups of the population, development of the social potential of Yamal development, fixing and replenishment of qualified personnel. The study of the Northern specificity of the quality of life of the population of the circumpolar oil and gas region of Russia, living conditions and relationships of various social groups of the participants of further, neo-industrial development of the territory leads to conclusions about the need for a significant strengthening of the sociological and interdisciplinary scientific support of future projects in the Arctic, and suggests a new methodological approach to the selection of the most relevant topics of research.