0248-DEM-BAY-RU
CIVIL SOCIETY
AND CIVIL RELIGION IN RUSSIA:
THE CHANCES,
PROSPECTS, AND IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL POLICY
Pavel Bayov
Timetable and Research Schedule
Stage 1 (March 2005 – May 2005)
Critical analysis of a legislation of the Russian
Federation regulating the relations in religious sphere, and legislative
practice. (What kind of relations is presupposed in this sphere according to The Law on Freedom of Religion (1997)?
What kind of relations actually exists in Russia among authorities, religious
communities and the public? What are the criteria a voluntary organization must
meet in order to be registered as a church? Are there any impediments in
accessibility of church status? If so, what are the main sources and origins of
these obstacles?)
Stage 2 (June 2005 – August 2005)
Analysis of newspapers (local and
national). (What were/are the dynamics, volume of attention, and the context of
valuation regarding different religious communities, which were/are spread
through the media in the USSR/ Russia since 1985 through the nowadays? What
kind of images of authority in relation to religion, and of confessions and
denominations were/are intrinsic in the Soviet/ Russian society?)
Stage 3 (September 2005 – December 2005)
a. Public opinion poll. (What kind of
images, and what sort of perception, regarding different religious communities
are intrinsic now in different social groups and among the religious
communities towards their "counterparts"?)
b. Interview of experts: clergymen,
governmental officials, and scholars in the field of religion. (What kind of
perception of each other exists among the leaders of different confessions and
denominations in Russia? How do they treat the governmental policy in the field
of religious relations? How do governmental officials treat different religious
communities? What are the most crucial problems in the sphere of religious life
in Russia, from the standpoint of academicians? How can a certain church
influence on the political decisions? Is the autonomy of churches possible in
today's Russia, and if so, what are the advantages and shortcomings of this
"independence"?)
Stage 4 (January 2006 – March 2006)
a. Elaboration of the
policy recommendations
b. Preparation of
articles and/ or a book.