Alexander Filippov | National Research University Higher School of Economics (original) (raw)

Papers by Alexander Filippov

Research paper thumbnail of National Interest and International Law:What Is Behind the Polemics over Lawful Sovereignty?

Russia in Global Affairs, 2015

The old system is withering away. But there is no need to reject all of its elements. It would be... more The old system is withering away. But there is no need to reject all of its elements. It would be more reasonable to raise a new structure within it, including through accelerated creation of a Community of Greater Eurasia, and a broad dialogue on the future within the Eurasian Cooperation, Development and Security Forum.

Research paper thumbnail of Филиппов А.Ф. Действия больших тел и события коммуникаций: политическое значение некоторых социологических категорий // Философия истории философии. 2022. Т. 3. С. 54–69.

Filippov A.F. Actions of large bodies and events of communications: The political significance of some sociological categories, 2022

В статье предпринята попытка сопоставить философские основания трех влиятельнейших социологическ... more В статье предпринята попытка сопоставить философские основания трех
влиятельнейших социологических концепций минувшего века — М.Вебера,
Т.Парсонса и Н.Лумана. Несмотря на то что влияние Вебера на Парсонса
и Парсонса на Лумана неоспоримо, различия между ними носят принципиальный характер. В основании каждой из концепций лежит особая философская интуиция, все они имеют также и политический характер. Для объяснения этого мы вводим философски размытый, но интуитивно понятный термин «крупное тело», т. е. такое, которое различимо без специальных приборов.
У Вебера такими крупными телами оказываются люди действующие, как он
их называет. Знаменитое понятие «социальное действие» означает действие
крупного тела, потому что такой действующий размещен на пространстве политического союза, внутри которого и выстраивается иерархия благ, т. е. область возможных целей. Таким образом, теория действия Вебера предполагает
теорию государства. Теория систем действия Парсонса поначалу строится совершенно иначе. Принимая схемы Вебера, Парсонс отказывается изучать единичное действие как конкретное событие в пространстве и времени. Вместо
этого, опираясь на философию А.Н.Уайтхеда, он предлагает изучать действие
в его темпоральном аспекте. Поскольку до совершения действия цели только
представляются, не существуя в реальности, здесь открываются перспективы
совершенно оригинальной концепции действия, в которой не только не будет пространства крупных тел, но и обычного времени физических событий.
Но Парсонс не удерживается на этой высоте и в более поздних работах снова
возвращается к действующему как организму, до которого может добраться
и применить к нему силу политическая власть. Только Луман с его интуицией мирового общества и бестелесных событий коммуникации отрывается от
традиций европейского политического мышления. Ему удается построить логически более последовательную концепцию. Но она оказывается уязвимой, когда приходится снова думать о территориях и регионах, т. е. о пространствах
крупных тел.

Research paper thumbnail of Perturbations of Private and Public under COVID-19

Sotsiologicheskoe Obozrenie / Russian Sociological Review, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Sociology of Max Weber in the 21st Century: From Reception to Actualization

The Contemporary Relevance of a Classic: Max Weber in the 21st Century, 2019

This issue of the Russian Sociological Review is dedicated to Max Weber. It could be called an an... more This issue of the Russian Sociological Review is dedicated to Max Weber. It could be called an anniversary issue since one of Weber's famous works will celebrate its centenary immediately after the Review's publication. At the end of January, 1919, Weber delivered his famous speech Politik als Beruf (Politics as a Vocation), which was published in July of the same year. This is a remarkable coincidence, but still, no more than just a coincidence. In the many contributions to our issue (though not in all of them), Weber appears first as a political thinker and a political figure; meanwhile, we did not plan to celebrate the anniversary of any of his writings (yet some anniversary dates were indicated in the circulated call for papers). Scientists all over the world are reacting to this date and will continue to react to further dates. However, we should admit that these are the external causes to remember Weber and to return to his ideas. The social convention of encouraging the celebration of anniversaries marked by good round figures also holds in science. Weber's contemporary and great friend, Georg Simmel, would say that we are dealing with the aesthetics of numbers here, 1 which is more formal than a substantial approach. If there

Research paper thumbnail of A Rapidly Changing Reality

Russia in Global Affairs, 2002

The Nature of the World order and Crisis through the eyes of leading experts in International Rel... more The Nature of the World order and Crisis through the eyes of leading experts in International Relations Q uantity has transformed into quality. Deformations and tensions in the world order, which have matured latently for years, if not decades, have come to light. The nature of changes in the modern world is yet to be comprehended. Not surprisingly, it is difficult to get rid of the Cold War inertial thinking and the temptation to find parallels in history. We have asked scholars and intellectuals from various countries to briefly assess the nature of these changes.

Research paper thumbnail of Editorial: Sociologists in Search of a Social Glue

Russian Sociological Review, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of Dmitry Kurakin. Eluding sacred: ambiguity of the sacred and its importance for the «strong program» in cultural sociology

Alexander Filippov. Mobility and Solidarity. Paper 1 The key issue of social life is the problem ... more Alexander Filippov. Mobility and Solidarity. Paper 1 The key issue of social life is the problem of solidarity. This problem, as the recent events show, will grow more acute in the near future, both in Russia and around the world, which is especially evident in the crisis. The paper will consider the question of solidarity in the context of the theory of sociology. As the outcome of this investigation the increase both in the knowledge of social life and in the theoretical resources for its study is expected to be. Thus, the research is considered to become, first of all, the contribution to the theory of sociology, but not formal sociology — rather pithy one, oriented towards the current issues’ resolving.

Research paper thumbnail of Social Order and Art Sources of Imaginations

The Russian Sociological Review, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Sociology and the Problem of Order

Sotsiologicheskoe Obozrenie / Russian Sociological Review

Research paper thumbnail of Political Nation and Spatial Order: Towards a New Recombination of the Old Concepts

Sotsiologicheskoe Obozrenie / Russian Sociological Review

The paper compares opposite approaches to the study of spatial order in contemporary societies. o... more The paper compares opposite approaches to the study of spatial order in contemporary societies. on the one hand, theories of globalization and world society argue that states and their borders are not relevant anymore. globalization means world without borders, therefore contemporary global cities, being located within state borders, do not belong to their territories. in a global city, there is no room for common solidarity among citizens-those who go beyond state borders cannot become integrated to world society. on the other hand, there is much empirical evidence that states do not disappear. They still play a significant role. The state border deliniates a part of space which people can feel emotional attachment with. The states can use legitimate violence against those who reside within its borders as well as enforce feelings of solidarity with those who live on this territory. This logic brings two notions of nation and nationalism. in a more traditional understanding of these notions based on kinship ("consanguinity"), culture and language, the state is defined as a tool for the constitution of nation, which needs territory with clear borders for survival. in contrast, the civic understanding of nation suggests flexibility of any identities, including the national one. Those who follow the second definition usually do not recognize its implications. on the one hand, a territorially located group can demand statehood to assert and guarantee its identity. on the other hand, a group, which has freely chosen its identity, also can demand spatial borders and, in the same vein, a state. These demands are connected with each other. spatial definition of any group, which can proclaim itself as a nation and demand a state, contradicts contemporary organization of global cities. in this respect, sociology may be interested in how these two modes of space intersect, i.e. how the world society with its fluids and networks interacts with new states, being constituted within new borders.

Research paper thumbnail of The other 'Hobbes' people': An alternative reading of Hobbes

Journal of Classical Sociology, 2013

This paper argues that while Hobbes has been very influential in sociological thinking, in partic... more This paper argues that while Hobbes has been very influential in sociological thinking, in particular through the influence of Ferdinand Tönnies and Talcott Parsons, there is an important alternative reading of Hobbes that one might call the ‘real’ Hobbes, which has remained unknown to social theory. Because these classical readings of Hobbes still inform most social theory, sociologists are in effect trapped within them. Through a careful analysis of classic interpretations of Hobbes by Tönnies and Parsons, coupled with a close reading of Hobbes’ actual texts, and his criticisms of Aristotle, this paper will suggest that a different understanding of the ‘people’ who populate Hobbes’ social universe is possible. It will be suggested that this new understanding of Hobbes also makes the contemporary understanding of the history of political philosophy more fruitful for theoretical sociology.

Research paper thumbnail of Relevancy of Thomas Hobbes’s Philosophy (II)

The Journal of Political Theory, Political Philosophy and Sociology of Politics Politeia, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Political sociology. Fundamental problems and main concepts. (part 2)

The Journal of Political Theory, Political Philosophy and Sociology of Politics Politeia

Зафиксируем теперь второе основное положение политической социологии. Власть есть универсальный ф... more Зафиксируем теперь второе основное положение политической социологии. Власть есть универсальный феномен человеческого общения,

Research paper thumbnail of New life of Sociological Review

The Russian Sociological Review, 2006

Research paper thumbnail of On the Carl Schmitt's Political and Legal Philosophy of Space

The Russian Sociological Review, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Politics in the Times of Nazi

The Russian Sociological Review, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Political trembling and Leviathan's theodicy

The Russian Sociological Review, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Mobility and Solidarity. Paper 2

The Russian Sociological Review, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Carl Schmitt’s Political Romanticism

The Russian Sociological Review, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Der Raum der Systeme und die großen Reiche

Grenzenlose Gesellschaft?, 1999

Research paper thumbnail of National Interest and International Law:What Is Behind the Polemics over Lawful Sovereignty?

Russia in Global Affairs, 2015

The old system is withering away. But there is no need to reject all of its elements. It would be... more The old system is withering away. But there is no need to reject all of its elements. It would be more reasonable to raise a new structure within it, including through accelerated creation of a Community of Greater Eurasia, and a broad dialogue on the future within the Eurasian Cooperation, Development and Security Forum.

Research paper thumbnail of Филиппов А.Ф. Действия больших тел и события коммуникаций: политическое значение некоторых социологических категорий // Философия истории философии. 2022. Т. 3. С. 54–69.

Filippov A.F. Actions of large bodies and events of communications: The political significance of some sociological categories, 2022

В статье предпринята попытка сопоставить философские основания трех влиятельнейших социологическ... more В статье предпринята попытка сопоставить философские основания трех
влиятельнейших социологических концепций минувшего века — М.Вебера,
Т.Парсонса и Н.Лумана. Несмотря на то что влияние Вебера на Парсонса
и Парсонса на Лумана неоспоримо, различия между ними носят принципиальный характер. В основании каждой из концепций лежит особая философская интуиция, все они имеют также и политический характер. Для объяснения этого мы вводим философски размытый, но интуитивно понятный термин «крупное тело», т. е. такое, которое различимо без специальных приборов.
У Вебера такими крупными телами оказываются люди действующие, как он
их называет. Знаменитое понятие «социальное действие» означает действие
крупного тела, потому что такой действующий размещен на пространстве политического союза, внутри которого и выстраивается иерархия благ, т. е. область возможных целей. Таким образом, теория действия Вебера предполагает
теорию государства. Теория систем действия Парсонса поначалу строится совершенно иначе. Принимая схемы Вебера, Парсонс отказывается изучать единичное действие как конкретное событие в пространстве и времени. Вместо
этого, опираясь на философию А.Н.Уайтхеда, он предлагает изучать действие
в его темпоральном аспекте. Поскольку до совершения действия цели только
представляются, не существуя в реальности, здесь открываются перспективы
совершенно оригинальной концепции действия, в которой не только не будет пространства крупных тел, но и обычного времени физических событий.
Но Парсонс не удерживается на этой высоте и в более поздних работах снова
возвращается к действующему как организму, до которого может добраться
и применить к нему силу политическая власть. Только Луман с его интуицией мирового общества и бестелесных событий коммуникации отрывается от
традиций европейского политического мышления. Ему удается построить логически более последовательную концепцию. Но она оказывается уязвимой, когда приходится снова думать о территориях и регионах, т. е. о пространствах
крупных тел.

Research paper thumbnail of Perturbations of Private and Public under COVID-19

Sotsiologicheskoe Obozrenie / Russian Sociological Review, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Sociology of Max Weber in the 21st Century: From Reception to Actualization

The Contemporary Relevance of a Classic: Max Weber in the 21st Century, 2019

This issue of the Russian Sociological Review is dedicated to Max Weber. It could be called an an... more This issue of the Russian Sociological Review is dedicated to Max Weber. It could be called an anniversary issue since one of Weber's famous works will celebrate its centenary immediately after the Review's publication. At the end of January, 1919, Weber delivered his famous speech Politik als Beruf (Politics as a Vocation), which was published in July of the same year. This is a remarkable coincidence, but still, no more than just a coincidence. In the many contributions to our issue (though not in all of them), Weber appears first as a political thinker and a political figure; meanwhile, we did not plan to celebrate the anniversary of any of his writings (yet some anniversary dates were indicated in the circulated call for papers). Scientists all over the world are reacting to this date and will continue to react to further dates. However, we should admit that these are the external causes to remember Weber and to return to his ideas. The social convention of encouraging the celebration of anniversaries marked by good round figures also holds in science. Weber's contemporary and great friend, Georg Simmel, would say that we are dealing with the aesthetics of numbers here, 1 which is more formal than a substantial approach. If there

Research paper thumbnail of A Rapidly Changing Reality

Russia in Global Affairs, 2002

The Nature of the World order and Crisis through the eyes of leading experts in International Rel... more The Nature of the World order and Crisis through the eyes of leading experts in International Relations Q uantity has transformed into quality. Deformations and tensions in the world order, which have matured latently for years, if not decades, have come to light. The nature of changes in the modern world is yet to be comprehended. Not surprisingly, it is difficult to get rid of the Cold War inertial thinking and the temptation to find parallels in history. We have asked scholars and intellectuals from various countries to briefly assess the nature of these changes.

Research paper thumbnail of Editorial: Sociologists in Search of a Social Glue

Russian Sociological Review, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of Dmitry Kurakin. Eluding sacred: ambiguity of the sacred and its importance for the «strong program» in cultural sociology

Alexander Filippov. Mobility and Solidarity. Paper 1 The key issue of social life is the problem ... more Alexander Filippov. Mobility and Solidarity. Paper 1 The key issue of social life is the problem of solidarity. This problem, as the recent events show, will grow more acute in the near future, both in Russia and around the world, which is especially evident in the crisis. The paper will consider the question of solidarity in the context of the theory of sociology. As the outcome of this investigation the increase both in the knowledge of social life and in the theoretical resources for its study is expected to be. Thus, the research is considered to become, first of all, the contribution to the theory of sociology, but not formal sociology — rather pithy one, oriented towards the current issues’ resolving.

Research paper thumbnail of Social Order and Art Sources of Imaginations

The Russian Sociological Review, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Sociology and the Problem of Order

Sotsiologicheskoe Obozrenie / Russian Sociological Review

Research paper thumbnail of Political Nation and Spatial Order: Towards a New Recombination of the Old Concepts

Sotsiologicheskoe Obozrenie / Russian Sociological Review

The paper compares opposite approaches to the study of spatial order in contemporary societies. o... more The paper compares opposite approaches to the study of spatial order in contemporary societies. on the one hand, theories of globalization and world society argue that states and their borders are not relevant anymore. globalization means world without borders, therefore contemporary global cities, being located within state borders, do not belong to their territories. in a global city, there is no room for common solidarity among citizens-those who go beyond state borders cannot become integrated to world society. on the other hand, there is much empirical evidence that states do not disappear. They still play a significant role. The state border deliniates a part of space which people can feel emotional attachment with. The states can use legitimate violence against those who reside within its borders as well as enforce feelings of solidarity with those who live on this territory. This logic brings two notions of nation and nationalism. in a more traditional understanding of these notions based on kinship ("consanguinity"), culture and language, the state is defined as a tool for the constitution of nation, which needs territory with clear borders for survival. in contrast, the civic understanding of nation suggests flexibility of any identities, including the national one. Those who follow the second definition usually do not recognize its implications. on the one hand, a territorially located group can demand statehood to assert and guarantee its identity. on the other hand, a group, which has freely chosen its identity, also can demand spatial borders and, in the same vein, a state. These demands are connected with each other. spatial definition of any group, which can proclaim itself as a nation and demand a state, contradicts contemporary organization of global cities. in this respect, sociology may be interested in how these two modes of space intersect, i.e. how the world society with its fluids and networks interacts with new states, being constituted within new borders.

Research paper thumbnail of The other 'Hobbes' people': An alternative reading of Hobbes

Journal of Classical Sociology, 2013

This paper argues that while Hobbes has been very influential in sociological thinking, in partic... more This paper argues that while Hobbes has been very influential in sociological thinking, in particular through the influence of Ferdinand Tönnies and Talcott Parsons, there is an important alternative reading of Hobbes that one might call the ‘real’ Hobbes, which has remained unknown to social theory. Because these classical readings of Hobbes still inform most social theory, sociologists are in effect trapped within them. Through a careful analysis of classic interpretations of Hobbes by Tönnies and Parsons, coupled with a close reading of Hobbes’ actual texts, and his criticisms of Aristotle, this paper will suggest that a different understanding of the ‘people’ who populate Hobbes’ social universe is possible. It will be suggested that this new understanding of Hobbes also makes the contemporary understanding of the history of political philosophy more fruitful for theoretical sociology.

Research paper thumbnail of Relevancy of Thomas Hobbes’s Philosophy (II)

The Journal of Political Theory, Political Philosophy and Sociology of Politics Politeia, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Political sociology. Fundamental problems and main concepts. (part 2)

The Journal of Political Theory, Political Philosophy and Sociology of Politics Politeia

Зафиксируем теперь второе основное положение политической социологии. Власть есть универсальный ф... more Зафиксируем теперь второе основное положение политической социологии. Власть есть универсальный феномен человеческого общения,

Research paper thumbnail of New life of Sociological Review

The Russian Sociological Review, 2006

Research paper thumbnail of On the Carl Schmitt's Political and Legal Philosophy of Space

The Russian Sociological Review, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Politics in the Times of Nazi

The Russian Sociological Review, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Political trembling and Leviathan's theodicy

The Russian Sociological Review, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Mobility and Solidarity. Paper 2

The Russian Sociological Review, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Carl Schmitt’s Political Romanticism

The Russian Sociological Review, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Der Raum der Systeme und die großen Reiche

Grenzenlose Gesellschaft?, 1999