ILSIR staff took part in the 5th ISA Forum of Sociology in Rabat, Morocco
From July 11-15, the 5th Forum on Sociology of the International Sociological Association was held in Rabat, Morocco. Representatives of the International Laboratory for Social Integration Research presented papers alongside more than 4,000 participants.
The Fifth Forum of the World Sociological Association was held in Rabat, Morocco. This year, organizers reported 4,300 participants. The idea of the forum, "Knowing Justice in the Anthropocene," attracted such a large number of specialists in contemporary societies because it encouraged a global dialogue, or more precisely, a multi-vocal discussion about the complexity of modern societies, the potential for finding common solutions, and the ability to listen and consider the uniqueness of each individual, finding ways to harmoniously interact in an era of powerful, ubiquitous human impact on the environment. Responding to common challenges, the forum was thematically diverse – all 55 research committees were active, new areas and research groups were created, sessions with screenings and discussions of sociological films generated interest, and the friendly interactions within the research committees were also engaging. The forum was held in the cozy Mohammed V University, with its beautiful garden and comfortable classrooms, which set all participants up for successful interaction and positive relationships.
Olga Savinskaya, a leading research fellow at International Laboratory for Social Integration Research (ILSIR) , presented her findings in two sections. The first section focused on the methodological and ethical aspects of studying childhood in today's politically unstable and culturally diverse world. Using various case studies, the speakers discussed how a child-centered methodology is possible, one that includes children in research processes and takes into account their interests, capabilities, potential, and perspective on the world in which they live, interact, and develop. Drawing on her experience interviewing preschoolers and primary school students, Olga Savinskaya described the concept of methodological inclusion, which presupposes openness to the child's world, their capabilities, and interests, and the development of equal relationships during fieldwork. This concept also fits well with "gamification" methods of data collection, which include, for example, establishing rules, game mechanics, and creative, spontaneous role-playing. The report emphasized the importance of the environmental situation for both regular and game interviews.
The second section, in which Olga Savinskaya co-authored a paper with ILSIR research intern Tamara Mkhitaryan , was dedicated to the gender aspects of contemporary higher education. The geography of the speakers was striking – Argentina, Italy, China, the UK, Russia, and California. The speakers supported each other's presentations in their relevance, thus demonstrating that considering the various gender aspects of educational policies for studying everyday life in education is important anywhere in the world. The paper focused on how female students cope with sexist remarks and behavior in the educational environment, and how such situations lead to the stigmatization of gender as inappropriate in male-dominated fields and professions. Our presentation was well-aligned with that of our colleague from California, Shaylee Eriksen, who discussed gender regimes in universities and the functioning of support circles for girls.
Olga Savinskaya:
"The forum is great because it allows us to establish new professional contacts, informally discuss new texts, and agree on joint projects. Both sections were fruitful due to the collaborative spirit, the exchange of contacts, and the motivation to continue working together to develop the thematic areas of the research sections. We all left the forum looking forward to future meetings and new discussions in new professional venues."
Research intern Arseniy Buchatsky of the International Laboratory for Social Integration Research (ILSIR) not only presented the results of two projects—the first study of the work of people with disabilities in the Russian public sector and the results of a comprehensive study of rural areas over the course of a year—but also organized several Forum events.
In a joint presentation at the WG06 session, "Ethnographic Approaches to Research," led by Viktoria Konstantinovna Antonova, leading research fellow at the International Laboratory for Social Integration Research (ILSIR), Arseny discussed reflections on his master's thesis, completed at the ISI International Laboratory, and proposed prospects for institutional ethnography in studying the experiences of Russians with disabilities in the public sector. This session provided an opportunity for participants to share experiences, challenges, and insights from conducting ethnographic research of various designs and objectives. In addition, in a paper titled "Understanding the Post-Agrarianism of Rural Areas: Post-Agrarianism as a Theoretical Concept and a Research Framework," Arseny, together with Nikita Evgenievich Pokrovsky, Professor of the Department of General Sociology at the Faculty of Social Sciences, presented the initial theoretical results of the Department of Sociology's project "From the Past to the Future: Rural Communities in the Context of Post-Agrarian Transformation," supported by the Russian Science Foundation. Arseny's participation in the Forum was also made possible by significant support from the Russian Science Foundation.
In addition to participating as a speaker, Arseniy served as the program coordinator of ISA RC26, organizing and facilitating two of its sections: the thematic section "Is the City Forever? Post-Agrarianism and Counter-Urbanization in Retrospect and Perspective" and his own open section "Conflicts, Communities, and Social Change in the Time of Anthropocene Technologies (RC26 Open Session)".
Arseny Buchatsky
"In the forum's packed program, the most vivid memory for me was the opportunity to engage with the phenomena of my students and I study, with both fundamental and, conversely, very specific topics. These included the ethics of sociologists' work, discussions of various epistemologies, even the sociology of food, and, of course, the success of sociologists in business. Particularly when participating in the ethnography sections, you understand how different the views of sociology and the authors' views on their results and their experiences of research can be!
Nikita Evgenievich Pokrovsky, my team, and I spent almost a year organizing the Forum—sometimes entire days were spent coordinating the program; it's a significant and challenging responsibility. However, the Forum was an excellent opportunity to put my skills as an international scientific administrator to the test, participate in cross-cultural networking, and find ideas for developing projects for a large team. I was thrilled to have successfully overcome all the challenges and all the public professional work. It's incredibly rewarding to see your research and organizational efforts pay off! Events like these certainly introduce you to a team of like-minded professionals, and I look forward to the XXI ISA World Congress of Sociology in Korea in 2027.
Victoria Konstantinovna Antonova, a leading research fellow at the International Laboratory for Social Integration Research (ILSIR) , also attended the research committee's "Sociology of Aging" section, as projects related to gerontology and the theory and practice of active aging in an international context are among the ILSIR's priority topics. Lucie Vidovicova's (Masaryk University) report, "Three Ways to Understand 'Digital Good': Policies, Actors, and Lived Experiences," was interesting and had many parallels with the MLIS researchers' findings. The Czech researcher emphasized that older adults are often perceived as lagging behind in the modern "digital transition," facing barriers related to education, skills, and access to digital technologies, which contributes to the widening of the digital divide and subsequent social exclusion. However, the findings of the Czech study demonstrate that the uncritical acceptance of this situation in socio-gerontological research does not contribute to a deeper understanding of the impact of digitalization on older adults. A constant focus on measuring digital competencies across different demographic groups in the context of rapidly evolving IT technologies can perpetuate oppressive narratives about the individual deficiencies of older adults, while obscuring systemic ageism. A more nuanced analysis of older adults' views on quality of life and satisfaction with their lifestyle, even when they are "offline" or "disconnected," leads to deeper insights into how the digital divide and digital inequality primarily serve as policy tools to camouflage the lack of social support for older adults from the state or community (including family, acquaintances, and friends) in mastering digital skills, obtaining relevant information, and accessing digital devices and technologies.
Elena Yarskaya-Smirnova, Head of the Moscow Literature and Social Sciences Institute, presented two papers at the Forum: "Discursive Frameworks of Domestic Violence against Women and Child Abuse in Russian Newspapers 2013-2023" in the section "The Era of Paradoxes: Gender-Based Violence, Mobilization, and Resistance" and "Inclusive Education for Migrant Children in Russia: Discursive Frameworks of Social (In)Justice" in the section "Inclusion and Exclusion: How Educational Organizations Deal with Diversity." These sections addressed important global and local issues related to pressing contemporary challenges, as well as the evolving research agenda. Discussions with colleagues at these and other breakout sessions, as well as presentations in the plenary sessions, allowed the participants to compare their own research plans with the international agenda and propose ideas for international collaboration.
