Abstract: The relevance of the stated topic is due to the fact that the megatrend of the modern era is the modernization of traditional non-Western societies, which, unlike the modernization of Western countries, acquires an inorganic character. At the same time, democratization is declared the most important aspect of the modernization of society as the main prerequisite for dynamic social development. However, modernization processes in the non-Western world often acquire an imitative character, which leads to discrediting the very idea of modernization and weakening its social base. The purpose of this work is to identify the socio–cultural reasons for the emergence of imitation practices in modernizing societies. The theoretical basis of the work is the main provisions of the theory of modernization, as well as the concepts of social imitation presented in the works of A. A. Zinoviev, T. A. Shalyugina, D. E. Furman, etc. The interdisciplinary nature of the work requires a combination of socio-philosophical and cultural approaches to the problem of inorganic modernization of traditional non-Western cultures. Based on the analysis of modern concepts of modernization and imitation, the author proves that imitation is a necessary aspect of society's life, contributing to the development and use of socially useful knowledge, and during periods of modernization it becomes a consequence of asynchronous development of various spheres of the social system, when culture as the most conservative sphere of society does not have time to adapt to the processes occurring in other areas of social life. The desire of elites in the absence of socio-cultural prerequisites for democratic development to accelerate the process of modernization through democratization leads either to a dangerous destabilization of public life, or to imitation of Western European "models". Therefore, in non-Western countries, democratization cannot be the initial stage of modernization, and modernization itself should be gradual, since it should take into account the peculiarities of the culture of a modernizing society, the rhythms and pace of dynamics of various spheres of the socio-cultural system and adjust modernization strategies as the properties of this environment change.

Abstract: The relevance of the topic of the work is determined by the fact that citizens' perception of their city is the basis of their daily behavior and all life activities. This means that the image of the city formed in the minds of residents is one of the important factors of its socio-cultural development. The aim of the work is to identify the peculiarities of the perception of the city and to determine the significance of the image of the city for its socio-cultural development. The main subject of the study is the image of the city of Orenburg, considered from the perspective of psychogeography. The theoretical basis of the work was the work of Western and domestic authors exploring various aspects of the problem of perception of the city: K. Lynch, V. L. Glazychev, P. Golderberger, S. U. Goldhagen, A. E. Gutnov, S. V. Pirogov, G. I. Revzin, R. Sennet, K. Ellard, etc. The work is interdisciplinary in nature, which requires a combination of phenomenological and psychogeographic approaches aimed at studying the perception of the city by its inhabitants. The author proves that the image of the city of Orenburg is multifaceted and dynamic. In pre–revolutionary history, Orenburg is an outpost of Russia, the "gateway to Asia", a place of exile for politically unreliable citizens; in the Soviet period, it was the capital of Kazakhstan, the city of labor glory. Today Orenburg appears in the minds of its residents as a cozy and quiet provincial city with a rich historical past and unique culture. However, through the unkemptness and abandonment of the outlying areas, the global shape of the city emerges in it, making one city indistinguishable from another. The feeling of the unique atmosphere of the city, concentrated in its historical center, is rapidly disappearing under the onslaught of modernization, motorization, modern urban planning. Such a "polyphony" of urban spaces puts on the agenda the issue of preserving the historical appearance and identity of the city. Making the city an object of love and pride is today the main task of the authorities and residents of the city, on the solution of which its future depends.

Abstract: The relevance of the selected topic is determined by the fact that the city first and foremost is the center of culture and civilization, which characterizes the development of the surrounding territory and the entire country; secondly, it is the most vivid manifestation of social challenges that modern society is faced to solve. The goal of this research lies in tracing interrelation between the social problems of modern society and the architectural environment of the city. The subject of this article is the modern urban residential development, which is the center of people’s everyday life, as well as forms their attitude towards the city and the country overall. The theoretical framework is comprised of the basic provisions of urban studies presented by the Western and Russian authors: F. Braudel, A. Gutnov, G. Simmel, L. Wirth, R. Park, G. Revzin, F. Urban, C. Ellard, and others. The author proves that the development of capitalist relations in the XX century posed a problem of large-scale housing development, which had to meet the two key requirements: a) be affordable for the consumer; b) be profitable for the property developer. Industrialization, unification and typification of construction became the way to solve this task – the modern urban neighborhood units, slums of industrial and postindustrial era, in which there is neither past nor future alongside social hierarchy and local community united by common goals and values. Having assessed this phenomenon, the author proves that living in such environment aggravates the social, spiritual, and psychological problems of citizens, described by the classics of urban studies. Therefore, the main conflict of modern city is the clash between the economic efficiency of housing development and the aesthetic requirements for the organization of residential environment. This conflict goes beyond the framework of architecture due to the fact that the principles of industrialization, unification, and typification are now universal to all spheres of social life, including culture.