Laboratory for Comparative Social Research

Scientific results:

1. We conducted the sixth and the seventh waves of the «World Values Survey» in Russia and a number of ex-USSR countries (2011 and 2017 respectively). Additionally, using the methodology of the «Global Values Survey», we collected representative data for 9 regions of Russia in 2012 and for 60 regions of Russia in 2018.
2. The Laboratory organized three waves of the «Russian Values Study» (2012, 2016 and 2020). Data was collected for the fifth wave of the «European Values Study» (2017) and the data of four waves of the additional survey «Values in the times of the crisis» (2020 — 2022) devoted to investigating the social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. On the basis of the collected data we have published a significant number of articles in leading Russian and international journal in such domains as subjective well-being, happiness, social capital, trust, values and political support in Russia and in the comparative perspective.

Implemented results of research: 

• We have developed a modernized methodology for measuring values. The Inglehart–Welzel modernization theory has been validated over an extensive empirical sample with the use modern methods of statistical data analysis (multi-level regressive  analysis , modeling by structural equations).
• Our researchers have researched the cohort changes in the subjective well-being among the population of Russia, conducted a comparative analysis of material and non-material determinants of well-being.
• We have translated into Russia the books by Ronald Inglehart and Christian Welzel «Cultural Evolution» and «Freedom Rising».

• We have launched the international master’s degree program «Comparative social research» (2014). Since September 2018 the program acts as a double degree program in collaboration with the Free University of Berlin (Germany).
• We have developed English-language education courses: «Bayesian statistics», «Multi-level regression analysis», «Introduction to Structural Equation Modeling», «Basic Statistics and Introduction into „R“», «Methodology and Research methods in Sociology: Quantitative Research methods», «Applied Research on Inequalities: Race, Gender, Migration and Ethnicity», «Causal Inference» and their Russian-language counterparts, the lectures are currently read at HSE University, the European University at Saint Petersburg and ITMO University.
• 10 Candidate of Sciences dissertations  have been prepared and defended.
• We have conducted 7 summer schools devoted to advanced methods of statistical data analysis in social sciences.

Organizational and structural changes: 

The Laboratory has created a network of associated employees consisting of over 60 people from leading universities of the world. 7 conferences, 15 international work seminars and 7 international summer schools have been conducted. 

Other results:

We have received a number of Russian and international grants to organize scientific research (grants of the President of the Russian Federation, the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, the British Academy, the World Health Organization).

Collaborations: 

• World Values Survey Association (Austria): joint research, collecting data for the sixth wave of the World Values Survey in Russia and six counties of the former Soviet Union (2011), collecting data for the seventh wave  of the World Values Survey (2017).
• European Values Survey (the Netherlands): joint research, collecting data for the fifth wave of the European Values Study (2017).
• GESIS — Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences (Germany): joint research and events, internships of employees of the Laboratory to exchange experience.
• STATEC – National Institute of statistics and economic studies (Luxembourg): jonit research and academic events, exchange of experience.
• «Eurasian monitor» (Russia): joint research, academic events, sessions at Russian and international scientific conferences, working seminars, publications.
• Russian Public Opinion Research Center (Russia): joint academic events, sessions at Russian and international conferences, work of employees of the Laboratory in the section for sociological academic  periodicals of the Association of Academic Editors and Publishers, preparing the Russian edition of Christian Welzel’s book «The birth of freedom».
• «VTB Bank» JSC (Russia): joint research and academic events, collecting data for the fifth wave of the European Values Study (2017).