Main milestones in the development of Russian sociology late 1950s–2010s

The article is devoted to analysis of the main stages and directions in the development of modern Russian sociology. It covers the time interval starting from creation of the Soviet Sociological Association (1958) and formation in 1968 of the Institute of Concrete Social Studies (since 1972 the Institute of Sociological Research and since 1988 – Institute of Sociology of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR – now RAS). The development of sociology is examined in a broad context: on the Soviet Union (Russian) scale, at the center of which stood the Institute of Sociology with the active participation of regional sociological centers. The characteristics of main stages in the development of Russian sociology are given, both in terms of prevalence of certain theories, concepts, studies and achievements, and in terms of the features of its functioning and interaction with society. The basic features and main directions of the development of sociological thought at each stage are described, which at the next stage of their development of Soviet (Russian) sociology were refined, acquiring new aspects, generating new fields and new problems of both theoretical and applied nature. Main achievements of each stage of Russian sociology development are characterized, as well as the problems that arose in the process of its functioning. In conclusion, an answer is given to the acute question of theoretical sociology existence in Russia.