Activity-based and Technological Specific Character of Upshifting as the Main Form of Post-urban Development of Russia: Conceptual Outlines and Empirical Measurements

Abstract

The paper deals with conceptual elaboration and empirical verification of the hypothesis of the new post-urban life activity forms existing and developing in the Russian society which are formed on the basis of industrial and urban patterns yet are trying to overcome the limitations of urbanism. The authors differentiate the representatives of post-urbanism into downshifters and upshifters – they differ, respectively, in orienting to social flight or to transformation of links with the city, to refusal from achievements of civilization or to productive use of modern technologies. The materials of the empirical survey conducted have shown that activity-based and technological foundation of upshifting as of a promising trend in post-urban development of Russia is characterized by post-urbanists orienting to independent organization of labor (freelance, business). An important place in models of their social and economic activity is occupied by the state-of-the-art technological solutions. Empirical measurements have allowed registering the fact that with the majority of upshifters surveyed, the share of income obtained from work with the use of modern technologies makes up the basis of the family budget. Growing productivity of the employed technologies as well as evolution of post-urbanists to a new technological levels. Moreover, the post-urban values stimulate the demand for autonomous and environmentally friendly systems of essential services of the house.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n6s5p70