Russian Scholars Unveil World's First Textbook on Social Architecture
On 5–6 December, St. Petersburg State University hosts the inaugural International Scientific and Practical Conference, "Social Architecture: Theory and Practice of Social Change".
The conference brings together 600 participants – researchers from the social sciences and humanities, experts, and representatives from political institutions and think tanks. Among the participants are renowned Russian and international scholars from 27 countries, including China, Brazil, the US, Iran, France, Italy, Spain, South Korea, Vietnam, and Pakistan.
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a welcoming message to the conference participants, organizers, and guests. In his address, he noted that Russia has already built up substantial experience in implementing social architecture projects and stands ready to share its expertise with international partners.
Alexander Kharichev, Head of the Presidential Directorate for Monitoring and Analysis of Social Processes, emphasized that a systemic approach to managing social development is absolutely essential in the face of today's complex challenges.
"We live in an era of profound, rapid change that affects every aspect of life – from geopolitics and the economy to technology and everyday communication," Alexander Kharichev stated. "These shifts create new hurdles, such as labour market transformations and changing life and career paths, which existing social institutions often fail to adapt to at the pace of change. Now more than ever, we need new societal development models that can respond to the demands of our time. Our work centres on the concept of 'social architecture' – the intentional design and execution of meaningful societal change. Two factors drive this focus. First, it is an objective necessity dictated by life itself. Second, over the past decade, Russia has built up substantial experience in successfully delivering diverse social initiatives that naturally meet the needs of both people and the state, creating a solid foundation for systematic work moving forward."
St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov highlighted how deeply rooted the concept of social design is in the city's rich history.
"It is highly symbolic that such a major conference on social architecture is taking place here," Alexander Beglov noted. "From its inception, St. Petersburg has been at the centre of grand social transformations. Peter the Great reshaped the old Rus' to create a new Russia. His vision went far beyond building houses, a navy, a new economy, and a governance system – he fundamentally reshaped the very mindset of the people. The epicentre of those transformations was right here in St. Petersburg. In the last century, our city once again became a hub for profound social change."
Olga Petrova, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, emphasized that standardizing theoretical frameworks and creating practical solutions for social architecture projects is critical to driving the nation's progress.
"Russian universities are actively engaged in social architecture initiatives dedicated to reinforcing traditional Russian spiritual and moral values," Olga Petrova said. "Equipped with all the necessary resources and capabilities, our universities bring together civil society, government institutions, and the business community. This enables effective collaboration, the delivery of socially significant projects, and the resolution of complex, multi-level challenges."
The conference featured the presentation of the world's first textbook on social architecture. The authors include leading scholars and experts in the social sciences and humanities, such as Sergey Volodenkov, Professor in the Faculty of Political Science at Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU); Alexander Kharichev, Head of the Presidential Directorate for Monitoring and Analysis of Social Processes; and Antonina Selezneva, Professor in the MSU Faculty of Political Science and Head of the Department for Educational Activities in Social Sciences and Humanities at the Expert Institute for Social Research (EISR).
"More than just a textbook, this is Russia's very first systematic guide to a brand-new field of study and professional practice," Sergey Volodenkov stated. "The core idea here is simple but vital: tomorrow's society isn't just handed to us – it is designed and built. It is our response to today's complex challenges, ensuring that spontaneous social changes are replaced by the intentional, well-rounded construction of our social reality."
During the presentation, Sergey Volodenkov noted that the textbook serves as a foundational blueprint, systematically outlining the concepts, goals, methodology, and tools of social architecture. He explained that this interdisciplinary field directly answers the needs of modern society, offering a scientifically grounded framework to train a new generation of professionals ready to shape Russia's future in line with its national priorities.
This pioneering work by Russian researchers offers a comprehensive framework for social architecture, seamlessly blending cutting-edge domestic insights with global best practices.
Highlighting the Chinese model of social architecture, Zhang Weiwei, a prominent Chinese political scientist, journalist, and Director of the China Institute at Fudan University, explained that China's success lies in its ability to marry a planned economy with market mechanisms – a system that can respond rapidly to social challenges while maintaining social harmony.
"Central to this is a deep-rooted cultural unity and a spiritual foundation built on Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist traditions," Zhang Weiwei added. "China's steady growth rests on a unique social architecture that has been built over centuries. Today, this manifests as a balanced system where the state, society, and capital operate in harmony."
"For the past 20–25 years, a unipolar global order has driven widespread ideological, economic, and political Westernization," noted Dušan Proroković, Head of the Centre for Eurasian Studies at the Institute of International Politics and Economics in Belgrade. "Today, the conversation has shifted to a multipolar world and alternatives. I believe the outcome of our conference today will be a clear vision of how to de-Westernize political processes in non-Western regions of the world."
The demand for training this new generation of specialists has already gained strong backing from leading Russian universities. Since 1 September 2025, specialized educational programmes in social architecture are underway at Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, and the Russian State University for the Humanities (RSUH). St. Petersburg State University is scheduled to launch its own programme in 2026.
"St. Petersburg State University is currently developing a 'Social Architecture' Master's programme to train forward-thinking specialists," noted Marina Lavrikova, Vice-Rector of the University. "Our graduates will be equipped to comprehensively analyze, model, and forecast social processes, while simultaneously designing and executing socially significant initiatives that shape societal values and solve concrete public issues."
The conference brings together 600 participants – researchers from the social sciences and humanities, experts, and representatives from political institutions and think tanks. Among the participants are renowned Russian and international scholars from 27 countries, including China, Brazil, the US, Iran, France, Italy, Spain, South Korea, Vietnam, and Pakistan.
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a welcoming message to the conference participants, organizers, and guests. In his address, he noted that Russia has already built up substantial experience in implementing social architecture projects and stands ready to share its expertise with international partners.
Alexander Kharichev, Head of the Presidential Directorate for Monitoring and Analysis of Social Processes, emphasized that a systemic approach to managing social development is absolutely essential in the face of today's complex challenges.
"We live in an era of profound, rapid change that affects every aspect of life – from geopolitics and the economy to technology and everyday communication," Alexander Kharichev stated. "These shifts create new hurdles, such as labour market transformations and changing life and career paths, which existing social institutions often fail to adapt to at the pace of change. Now more than ever, we need new societal development models that can respond to the demands of our time. Our work centres on the concept of 'social architecture' – the intentional design and execution of meaningful societal change. Two factors drive this focus. First, it is an objective necessity dictated by life itself. Second, over the past decade, Russia has built up substantial experience in successfully delivering diverse social initiatives that naturally meet the needs of both people and the state, creating a solid foundation for systematic work moving forward."
St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov highlighted how deeply rooted the concept of social design is in the city's rich history.
"It is highly symbolic that such a major conference on social architecture is taking place here," Alexander Beglov noted. "From its inception, St. Petersburg has been at the centre of grand social transformations. Peter the Great reshaped the old Rus' to create a new Russia. His vision went far beyond building houses, a navy, a new economy, and a governance system – he fundamentally reshaped the very mindset of the people. The epicentre of those transformations was right here in St. Petersburg. In the last century, our city once again became a hub for profound social change."
Olga Petrova, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, emphasized that standardizing theoretical frameworks and creating practical solutions for social architecture projects is critical to driving the nation's progress.
"Russian universities are actively engaged in social architecture initiatives dedicated to reinforcing traditional Russian spiritual and moral values," Olga Petrova said. "Equipped with all the necessary resources and capabilities, our universities bring together civil society, government institutions, and the business community. This enables effective collaboration, the delivery of socially significant projects, and the resolution of complex, multi-level challenges."
The conference featured the presentation of the world's first textbook on social architecture. The authors include leading scholars and experts in the social sciences and humanities, such as Sergey Volodenkov, Professor in the Faculty of Political Science at Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU); Alexander Kharichev, Head of the Presidential Directorate for Monitoring and Analysis of Social Processes; and Antonina Selezneva, Professor in the MSU Faculty of Political Science and Head of the Department for Educational Activities in Social Sciences and Humanities at the Expert Institute for Social Research (EISR).
"More than just a textbook, this is Russia's very first systematic guide to a brand-new field of study and professional practice," Sergey Volodenkov stated. "The core idea here is simple but vital: tomorrow's society isn't just handed to us – it is designed and built. It is our response to today's complex challenges, ensuring that spontaneous social changes are replaced by the intentional, well-rounded construction of our social reality."
During the presentation, Sergey Volodenkov noted that the textbook serves as a foundational blueprint, systematically outlining the concepts, goals, methodology, and tools of social architecture. He explained that this interdisciplinary field directly answers the needs of modern society, offering a scientifically grounded framework to train a new generation of professionals ready to shape Russia's future in line with its national priorities.
This pioneering work by Russian researchers offers a comprehensive framework for social architecture, seamlessly blending cutting-edge domestic insights with global best practices.
Highlighting the Chinese model of social architecture, Zhang Weiwei, a prominent Chinese political scientist, journalist, and Director of the China Institute at Fudan University, explained that China's success lies in its ability to marry a planned economy with market mechanisms – a system that can respond rapidly to social challenges while maintaining social harmony.
"Central to this is a deep-rooted cultural unity and a spiritual foundation built on Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist traditions," Zhang Weiwei added. "China's steady growth rests on a unique social architecture that has been built over centuries. Today, this manifests as a balanced system where the state, society, and capital operate in harmony."
"For the past 20–25 years, a unipolar global order has driven widespread ideological, economic, and political Westernization," noted Dušan Proroković, Head of the Centre for Eurasian Studies at the Institute of International Politics and Economics in Belgrade. "Today, the conversation has shifted to a multipolar world and alternatives. I believe the outcome of our conference today will be a clear vision of how to de-Westernize political processes in non-Western regions of the world."
The demand for training this new generation of specialists has already gained strong backing from leading Russian universities. Since 1 September 2025, specialized educational programmes in social architecture are underway at Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, and the Russian State University for the Humanities (RSUH). St. Petersburg State University is scheduled to launch its own programme in 2026.
"St. Petersburg State University is currently developing a 'Social Architecture' Master's programme to train forward-thinking specialists," noted Marina Lavrikova, Vice-Rector of the University. "Our graduates will be equipped to comprehensively analyze, model, and forecast social processes, while simultaneously designing and executing socially significant initiatives that shape societal values and solve concrete public issues."