Abstract: The author examines the approaches characteristic to the study of a village in modern Russian social science. Rural territories are important due to not only their immensity in geographical space of Russia, but also its social potential, which remains despite the tough socioeconomic position. The research of rural territories should not be limited by the ascertainment of dysfunctionality and disorganization of the social processes developing within it. The new approach should be aimed at overcoming of the stereotype ideas about the underdevelopment of the village, as well as its archaic nature. The state of the Russian rural territories is currently substantiated by the three factors. Firstly, by structural transformations of the Russian society during the post-Soviet period, which caused drastic changes in institutional sphere, as well as negatively affected the social position and wellbeing. Secondly, crisis status of the village in many ways is explained by the economic and structural organization of agribusiness in Soviet period. Thirdly, modernity in face of the globalization processes involves rural areas into the intensified social changes. The conclusion is made that the rural areas should not be considered as strictly depressive, as recognized the contribution of people, who are the basis of the economic and sociocultural potential.