CONCEPTUALIZATION OF THE NOTION OF LOCALITY IN THE WESTERN SOCIOLOGY
The theoretical approaches to the local community research in conditions of globalization are considered in the paper. The theories of the local and the global are analyzed as interdependent and interrelated phenomena: each theory of globalization determines locality, global is compared with local explicitly or implicitly. Time frames of analysis are determined from the end of 1980s till our days. The starting point is related to the beginning of the modern globalization, which is still not finished. Analysis is focused upon the general discourse of global and local that forms a kind of contradictory unity. Besides, the scientific reflection and expert assessment implemented in the frameworks of various projects are interrelated in this discourse. The radical transformation of sociological views on the role of local community in the globalization is shown. It started with the concept of locality as basic element of global world, moves towards the denial of its significance and then to its return in the form of localization of poverty, social inequality and conflicts. The notion of «local poor» is introduced. The correlation between changes in the discourse and neoliberal politics and with technological expansion that follows globalization is revealed. Particularly the concept of modern city of S. Sassen is considered as reflection of above process. The contradiction between the theorists of the global flows, such as M. Castels, J. Urry and other sociologists engaged in empirical research of localities that propose the «place» view on globalization is shown. This view is interpreted as the reflection of community resistance to its marginalization and unification. Social conflicts in modern local communities could be interpreted as unconscious form of such resistance.