1-6 October, 2018. Researchers of “Sociology of Religion” Research Laboratory and Ecclesiastical Institutions Research Laboratory participated in a symposium on family issues on the topic “Pastoral Genesis and Development”, organized by the Center for Family Research “CeDomei” and Saint Tikhon’s Orthodox University in Livorno, Italy.
From “Sociology of Religion” Research Laboratory at the symposium made presentations: Ivan Zabaev, Ivan Pavlyutkin, Elena Prutskova, Daria Oreshina, Elizaveta Kostrova, Anna Zueva, Olga Borisova, Mariia Goleva.
Reports of the researchers from “Sociology of Religion” were prepared within the framework of two projects: The Paradox of Interrelation between Religion and Family in Modern Russia (Research grant RSF) and Social Work of Russian Orthodox Church in XXI Century(PSTGU Development Foundation).
At the symposium also participated researchers from Family Studies and Research University Centre at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan as well as researchers and teachers of educational institutions of Livorno, Rome and Genoa.
The symposium was a platform for productive interdisciplinary and intercultural discussions on a variety of family issues: the creation of a family and its life, the birth of children, family social support, sociology and theology of the family, and pastoral work. Such discussions allowed social science researchers and theologians not only to exchange views but also to learn something new about existing family support practices and to discuss perspectives for further collaboration. For example, the organizers of the symposium suggested publishing an abstract book of reports in Russian and Italian.
We are grateful for the organizers for the idea of the symposium, for the opportunity to visit Tuscany and for the warm welcome! We also thank Tiziana Gualtieri, deputy head of the International department of Saint Tikhon’s Orthodox University, for creating communication between Italian and Russian sides!