Vasileva Elena I.

Research problem. The decline in youth civic engagement at the municipal level is manifested in the low turnout of youth in municipal elections, in the reduction of youth participation in solving local community issues, in the limited practice of youth participation in local self-government in traditional institutional forms. This leads to the formation of protest behavior, the growth of destructive and deviant behavior, and extremist forms of social activity. Thus, it is necessary to form an effective model of social partnership between young people and local governments, taking into account non-traditional (alternative) forms of civic engagement of young people. The purpose of the research is to study the forms of civic participation of youth in local self-government and to develop a conceptual model of social partnership of youth, youth public organizations and associations and local self-government bodies. Methodology and methods. The methodological basis of the study is represented by the concept of social partnership at the municipal level, the provisions of the systemic and activity-based approaches in municipal management. In the course of the research, a complex of quantitative and qualitative methods was used: analysis of official documents, analysis of the content of official sites, analysis of statistical data, secondary analysis of the results of sociological surveys. Research results. The content and directions of activities of local self-government bodies and youth public organizations and associations, a set of implemented measures and actions aimed at involving youth in socio-political processes at the municipal level, prevention of destructive and deviant behavior, extremist forms of social activity of youth, to stimulate civic initiatives have been studied youth at the municipal level, on the implementation of constructive forms of social activity of youth at the municipal level, on stimulating youth to participate in local self-government. Diagnostics of the problems hindering the civic participation of youth in local self-government was carried out. The prospects for the practical use of the theory of social partnership at the municipal level in the practice of municipal management and organization of work with youth are determined. Proposals have been developed for the subjects of social partnership at the municipal level to improve it. Proposals were submitted to local governments to support constructive forms of social activity of youth at the municipal level, to stimulate civic participation in local government, various civic initiatives of youth at the municipal level, and to involve youth in socio-political processes at the municipal level. Scientific novelty. A conceptual model of social partnership of youth, youth public organizations and associations and local self-government bodies has been developed. The structure of the conceptual model is represented by interrelated elements: 1) subjects of social partnership (youth, youth public organizations and associations, local governments), 2) principles of social partnership, 3) the goal of social partnership, 4) norms governing social partnership, 5) means of social partnership, 6) forms of interaction between subjects of social partnership.

Research problem. Transformation of megacities into smart cities is currently a crucial factor of the citizens’ living conditions improvement. In the last decade, the concept of a “smart” city has gained significant popularity, as its implementation allows residents to more efficiently meet their needs in a particular infrastructure, save resources and improve social services quality. Despite the existing ratings of the Russian “smart” cities, the “smart” technologies implementation processes in the regions of the Russian Federation have not yet been expressed in scientific research, and the existing works are predominantly aimed at studying the so-called. best practices. This article deals with the expert assessment of the smart city technologies implementation practice in certain municipalities of the Sverdlovsk region.
The research purpose is to consider the expert assessment results of the implementation state and problems of the “Smart cities of the Sverdlovsk region” regional program, developed and approved in the framework of the “Smart cities” federal departmental project.
Methodology and methods. As the research methodological, a systematic approach to the “smart” city analysis is applied. Additionally, the work uses an activity-based approach to researching the content and results of activities of the national authorities and the Sverdlovsk region local bodies on the “smart” cities elements implementation in the regional municipalities. To collect empirical data, the following methods have been used: normative legal acts and official documents analysis, expert interviews (6 experts - representatives of public authorities of the Sverdlovsk region and local bodies; representatives of IT companies implementing the “smart” technologies in urban space management; public representative - an urbanist).
Research results. For the time being, when implementing the “Smart cities of the Sverdlovsk region” regional project, municipalities have not managed to get the pursued results. One of the most important problems is the multifaceted nature of the municipal activities in the part of the city key areas digital transformation: different elaboration degrees of the platforms functional equipment, infrastructure facilities due to the lack of standards mandatory for municipalities at regional level. Moreover, the funding level is insufficient: municipal budgets cannot fully ensure the transition to the cities of the future. What makes things even worse is that the cities of the Sverdlovsk region do not participate in the best practices contest held by the RF Ministry of Construction, which means they do not receive additional funds in the form of subsidies and grant support.
Scientific novelty. The research expands the perception of mechanisms for the “smart” city technologies implementation in the Russian Federation; facts characterizing the experience of the cities of the Sverdlovsk region of the smart city technologies implementation are presented; the current state and problems of the “smart” technologies implementation in the municipalities of the Sverdlovsk region are revealed.

Research problem. The involvement of local community, including the youth, in local government can transform and enrich the process of management decision making based on various perceptions and approaches to local problem solving. Shifting the focus to those who are the target of this decision or affected by local issues can contribute to the programs and projects quality improvement, increased trust through transparency of order and procedures of the decisions made. The interaction between the local community and local authorities provides for the civic capacity development, contributes to the increased accountability in the public administration system and leads to the public confidence building. However, according to the research, young people are hardly involved in the local problem solving.
The research purpose is to explore the results of the expert assessment of the current state and problems of the youth participation in the local government, the involvement of young people in socio-political processes at municipal level.
Methodology and methods. The institutional approach makes the methodological framework of the research. The institutional foundations of the youth participation in local government and various forms of such participation are analyzed in the research. To collect empirical data, the following methods have been used: analysis of official documents, questionnaire survey of the RF youth (n = 2026 people), expert interview (30 experts: researchers, scientists, representatives of public bodies, local government, non-profit organizations, educational institutions).
Research results. Modern Russian youth, having a high level of civic participation, is poorly involved in local government. To encourage the young people’s involvement in local government, a single mechanism should be built based on the triad “informing - discussing - active participation of young people in local problem solving”. Also, it is important to create the institutional involvement environment, including structures in local governments to support projects initiated bythe youth.
Scientific novelty. The study expands understanding of the institutional foundations of the youth civic involvement in local government; facts characterizing the experience and need of civic participation of youth in local government are provided; current state and problems of youth civic participation in local government are revealed.

The modern development of digital technologies, according to a number of researchers, significantly transforms the usual mechanisms for citizen participation in public administration through the approach described in the literature as Web 2.0 and Governement 2.0. In this regard, the article is devoted to the study of the implementation of individual feedback mechanisms in the practice of municipal government, both within the framework of the federal project "Smart City" and outside it. The article considers foreign experience in implementing such technologies (Civocracy, Maptionnaire, CitizenLab, etc.). and the results of a number of cities in the Sverdlovsk region (Ekaterinburg, Verkhnyaya Pyshma, Novouralsk, etc.).
In the course of the study, such methods were used as the analysis of statistical data and analytical materials of the Ministry of Digital Development and Communications of the Sverdlovsk Region, local governments; content analysis of the content of feedback portals of the cities of the Sverdlovsk region; as well as an assessment of the satisfaction of portal applicants, collected automatically.
It is concluded that the introduction of feedback technologies can be considered as an important step for expanding civic participation. On the other hand, it is important to work out the procedural aspects of participation and their further “digitization” within a certain platform.

The article studies the children's protest activity in the urban environment, explores its formation mechanisms and socio-psychological nature of the process, identifies factors contributing to and preventing the development of children's protests in comparison with the rest of the youth. The authors consider the urgent problem of children's urban protests through the prism of the theory of generations, researching various age groups born in a certain historical period of time, with their characteristic beliefs, values and behavior.
The article is based on the results of a sociological questionnaire survey of the youth of the Russian Federation in 2021. Through the questionnaire method 2,531 respondents aged 14 to 35 from all the federal districts of the Russian Federation were interviewed.
As a result of the research, factors and conditions for the growth of the children protest activity in the urban environment were identified. It is stated that young people under the age of 21 have the greatest mobilization potential for the protest activity, while other age groups share protest beliefs, and their participation largely depends on the formulation of the protest reason, as well as on the organizers of actions. The main driver of the protest mood growth is the destabilized socio-economic and political situation, the presence of systemic problems (corruption, reducing living standards, social inequality).
In conclusion, the authors formulate main recommendations aimed at harmonizing children's protest activity, switching it onto a “peaceful track” through establishing civil-normative, socio-cultural conditions, taking into consideration social, age, educational and everyday needs of today's youth. The social moods of today's youth should be diagnosed in a prompt manner, regarding its age and educational status.

Purpose. Analyze the current problems of the development of the institution of local self-government in the Russian Federation. Methods. The trends in the development of local self-government are analyzed on the basis of a comparison of the fundamental legal acts and empirical data on the development of local self-government in Russia over the period 2099-2017. Results. Based on the dynamics of indicators of local government development in the Russian Federation, on the basis of scientifically based approaches and expert assessments, as well as their own conclusions, key problem areas for the development of local government development are identified, the causes of negative changes are identified. Analysis of the provisions of the legislation and the study of the state of development of the main processes in retrospect allows the authors to conclude that local government in Russia still has a long period of development, improvement and a difficult search for a balance between independence, independence and effective functioning to ensure the development of the territory. Scientific novelty. On the basis of a retrospective analysis of the dynamics of the main parameters of the development of local self-government in Russia, as well as the generalization of evidence-based approaches and expert assessments, negative trends in the development of the local government institution in the Russian Federation are systematized.

Subject: quality and availability of social support on payment for housing and communal services in the municipality "City of Ekaterinburg." Purpose: to assess the quality and availability of social support to pay for housing and communal services in the city of Yekaterinburg and develop proposals to improve their. Methodology and Methods: the research methodology is based on the principles of the activity approach to the study of social support. The study used methods such as description, analysis, synthesis, analysis of documents, sociological questionnaire. Results: assessed the quality and availability of social support measures (for example, reimbursement of expenses to pay for housing and utilities) in the city of Yekaterinburg, which resulted in the study of the experience of reimbursement of expenses to pay for housing and communal services in the city of Yekaterinburg; analyzed the results of independent research of the quality and availability of reimbursement of expenses to pay for housing and communal services in the city of Yekaterinburg; identified gaps in the provision of compensation for the payment of housing and communal services; recommendations on improvement of the said compensation in Yekaterinburg are given. Field of application results: results of the study can be used in the activity of local governments that provide specified compensation, as well as activities of public authorities involved in the development of the order of reimbursement of expenses to pay for housing and communal services. Scientific novelty: developed criteria for assessing the quality of the availability of social support (for example, reimbursement of expenses to pay for housing and utilities); identified the problem of providing reimbursement of expenses to pay for housing and communal services; proposed the original judgment on the provision of compensation for the payment of housing and communal services in the city of Yekaterinburg.

Purpose. Identify problems imperfections municipal legislation arising from the construction of the system model of the biceps local governments, when the head of the municipality is headed by a representative body, and the head of administration (city manager) is assigned under the contract on the basis of competition. Methods. Comparative analysis of legal acts regarding the appointment of the authority of the head of administration (city manager) in the case of the competition was not held before the new competition. Results. The analysis of situation in Rezhevsky district where after the expiry of the contract no candidate for the post of head of administration did not receive the support of deputies of the representative body, showed the imperfection of the legislation on local government. Comparative analysis of legal acts shows that executing the powers of the head of administration for the period after the termination of previous city manager office, and until a new are selected, should be appointed by decision of the Duma adopted by a majority vote, not the head of administration decision on the last day of his work on the contract. Scientific novelty. The author finds it necessary to amend the federal legislation on municipal government, in terms of appointment of the City Manager position authority, in case of termination of appointed head of the administration office and not a contest. On the basis of these changes will be made ​​additions to the statutes of municipalities that have shaped their territories biceps control system.