Typology

I propose four principle approaches for the typology of local communities. The first criterion is the age of the local community, meaning the duration of its continuous existence, based on the date of emergence/foundation of the central settlement. I classify the communities into three types: ancient, old, and young. The second criterion is the degree of spatial isolation, according to which communities fall into one of the following categories: isolated, ordinary (common), or located on transport thoroughfares (turbulent). The third criterion is based on the manner of the community’s emergence and development. The community either emerged and developed spontaneously or was established de-novo for economic and political reasons, and its existence is sustained by external forces. Accordingly, two types of communities are distinguished: those of natural or coercive development. The fourth criterion is the spatial organization of the administrative center. Four types of layouts are identified: street (rural), radio-centric (fortress), regular (Hippodamus system), and zonal (cluster). The layouts indicate the history of emergence and current development of the community. The developed typologies proved useful for the systematization of various empirical data concerning the territorial structure, local economy and informal economic practices of the population, and the structure of neighborly relations in different provincial communities of Russia. At the same time, I demonstrate the limitations of the typological approach to empirical sociological data.