Conceptual Reconstruction of V. M. Khvostov’s Sociological Views

The article analyzes the sociological views of V. M. Khvostov in two conceptual perspectives – semiotic and the perspective of formal tradition. Both are connected with the assertion of a realistic approach to the problem of social ontology, which comes into some contradiction with the psychological motives of Khvostov’s sociological work. The semiotic theme as a theme of external manifestation of human states and intentions was provoked by the problematic of “alien animation” popular in the Russian intellectual community since the late 19th century. This line was continued but did not receive theoretical completion in P. Sorokin’s concept of “conductors of interaction”. Khvostov’s turn to the theme of social forms was influenced by G. Simmel, despite Khvostov’s highly critical attitude to the latter’s formalist intuitions. Khvostov’s interest in the problems of “stable social formations or public unions” manifested itself in the identification of “social typology” as one of two branches of sociology. Khvostov’s division of “public unions” into spontaneous (causal) and organized associations deserves special attention. In the first case, we can talk about natural social forms, in the second – about institutional ones. Viewed from the selected theoretical perspectives, it would be premature to characterize Khvostov’s sociological ideas as holistic concepts, however, both the semiotic and formalistic intuitions of the scientist make a significant contribution to their formation.

V. M. Khvostov, E. Durkheim, G. Simmel, P. Sorokin, social ontology, semiotic conception of sociality, “conductors of interaction”, formal sociology, “social typology”, “spontaneous (causal)” and “organized associations”, ethological and institutional social forms