Representatives of SFedU worked in the section “The innovative potential of social participation practices of Russia’s older generation.” The focus of the discussion was the transformation of the social role of older age groups in the context of contemporary demographic challenges. The section participants noted the gap between the formalized strategies of “active longevity” and the real layer of “grassroots,” spontaneous practices of civic engagement, which often remain institutionally invisible but possess significant innovative potential.

Key research results from the Institute of Sociology and Regional Studies of the Southern Federal University.

The main emphasis in the section’s work was placed on the empirical results obtained by the Southern Federal University research group. Margarita Astoyants, head of the Department of Industrial and Applied Sociology, together with Tatyana Kienko, an associate professor at the Department of Social Technologies and a doctoral student at the Institute of Social Research of Southern Federal University, presented a report devoted to the digital structuring competence of the older generation. Based on an analysis of survey data from residents of the Rostov and Sverdlovsk regions (including respondents aged up to 98), five typical profiles of digital behavior were identified. The study proved the existence of a direct link between the level of digital activity and proactive forms of social participation in the offline environment. The authors propose the category of “digital structurational competence” as a form of social skill that enables the conversion of virtual skills into a real resource for territorial development.

Yulia Netrebina, Associate Professor at the Department of Sectoral and Applied Sociology at the Institute of Sociology and Regional Studies of the Southern Federal University, has highlighted the issue of digital competence as a basic resource for social inclusion. The report substantiated that engagement in the digital environment not only expands opportunities for participation in “grassroots” initiatives but also fosters a subjective sense of involvement among representatives of the older generation, contributing to overcoming social exclusion and age‑based inequality.

Expert dialogue and geography of participation

The section’s work brought together 28 researchers and practitioners from leading centres of sociological science: Moscow (HSE University), St. Petersburg (SI RAS), Saratov (Saratov State University), Rostov‑on‑Don (Southern Federal University), Samara, Nizhny Novgorod, and Ivanovo.

The moderators and heads of the section were leading experts in the field of sociology of aging: Doctor of Social Sciences, Professor M.E. Elyutina (Saratov National Research State University named after N.G. Chernyshevsky), Doctor of Social Sciences, Professor I.A. Grigorieva (Sociological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences – branch of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences), Candidate of Social Sciences, Associate Professor T.S. Kienko (Southern Federal University) and Candidate of Social Sciences, Associate Professor N.S. Bozhok (Saratov National Research State University named after N.G. Chernyshevsky).

Problem field and theoretical context of the section

In accordance with the conference programme, experts discussed a wide range of conceptual and applied aspects of ageing in modern Russia:

Theoretical and methodological foundations: modern methods for conceptualising, operationalising and assessing the socio‑innovative potential of the older generation were proposed. Participants discussed tools for measuring the scale and barriers to activity in different sociocultural spaces of ageing — from megacities to rural areas.

Regional and spatial dimensions: the role of grassroots practices (neighbourhood communities, volunteer groups, creative collectives) as factors in the development of territories and as a resource for “maturation” was examined. Special attention was paid to the recognition of the contribution of older people and ensuring their access to lifelong learning.

Intergenerational interactions and contracts: researchers analysed “generational responses” to social innovations, touching on the topics of intergenerational calculations and contracts. The discussion touched upon both the dialogue mode in the dyad "grandparents — grandchildren" and the work strategies of university staff aged 70+.

Discursive practices: the production of experiences of realizing the potential of older age groups through media and everyday representations, as well as through mechanisms for the reintegration of combat veterans, was discussed.

The final stage of the work was the discussion of effective approaches to planning social and cultural policy. The participants analyzed the difficulties of implementing active longevity strategies in the Russian Federation, emphasizing the need to move towards the principles of a "society for all ages."