THE SPHERE OF CULTURE AS AN OBJECT OF SOCIO-GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

The article outlines the theoretical and methodological principles for studying culture as an object of socio-geographical analysis. It is substantiated that the sphere of culture should be considered not only as a set of institutions, types of activity and cultural practices, but as a complexly organised territorial and social subsystem integrated into the general structure of the territorial organisation of society. The place of the sphere of culture in the system of social infrastructure is determined and its spatial-functional, institutional, communication and symbolic dimensions are characterised. It is shown that the socio-geographical approach enables the identification of patterns in the location of cultural institutions, the levels of cultural provision for the population, the degree of territorial accessibility of cultural services, the hierarchy of cultural centres, areas of concentration of cultural potential and centres of the cultural periphery. Particular attention is paid to the categorical apparatus of the study: «sphere of culture», «cultural space», «territorial organisation», «cultural infrastructure», «cultural potential of the territory», «cultural framework of settlement», «center-periphery in the sphere of culture». It is proposed to consider the sphere of culture as a multi-level system that functions at the national, regional, local, and settlement levels and is shaped by historical-geographical, demographic, socio-economic, ethno-cultural, institutional and politicalmanagerial factors. The expediency of combining systemic, territorial, network, typological and managerial approaches in its study is argued. It is shown that in modern conditions of decentralisation, military destruction and strategic rethinking of state cultural policy, the socio-geographical analysis of the cultural sphere acquires not only cognitive but also applied significance. It provides scientific grounds for assessing territorial disparities, optimising the network of cultural institutions, forming cultural districts, increasing the accessibility of cultural services and integrating culture into regional development policy