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Society and Lifestyles: Towards

Enhancing of Social Harmonizationthrough Knowledge of Subcultural

Communities

The project aims to extend knowledge about values and religions inEurope by investigating communities representing various values andreligious beliefs in Eastern European countries; to enhance theintegration of communities with different values and religions into the

life of the society-at-large based on harmonious coexistence ofindividuals and sub-groups.

The area of research is Eastern Europe because the cultural heritage

after a half-a-century of the Communist rule is sharply different fromthe cultural heritage of Western countries. There has not been anysystematic, comparative research on values and religions in this regionto date.

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SALresearch

fields

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Communication with other

groups: close contacts and

rejections

Expressions of tolerance andintolerance in different

communities

Solidarity and opposition to

ethnic/religious minorities and

other minority cultures

Elements of nationalism in

neo-religious and other groups

Prevailing attitudes towards

different communities insociety (media, family, work

and school). (From the

stand oint of rou members

Search for cultural identities

including values, beliefs, rituals,

norms of behavior etc.

Perception of individualidentity

Meanings attached to the

values that constituteidentity

Impact of subcultural

values on individualidebtities

The role of symbols (including

ethnic ones) used by members ofsubcultural groups and

transformations of their

meanin s that occur

Description of community

members behaviour

Identifying community

environmentSpecific objectives

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Methods This project will use an interdisciplinary approach, based on the methodology

of cultural/social/political/linguistic anthropology and sociology.

It will be implemented throughfieldworkemphasis on in-depth integration ofresearchers into the community with the purpose of revealing the meanings ofthe life-world and the principles for its formation in groups under analysis,

with the aim of understanding the meanings (including origins) of values andreligions, which arise in various communities and later spread into the society-at-large.

The research methodology includes the development of an electronic archive

system for analysis and systematisation of qualitative data.

The originality of the project is field verification, which will be performed onan experimental basis in Kaunas (Lithuania). It is focused on the establishmentof a sociocultural environment for communication between groups, researchersand members of the society at large. The centre will provide appropriatearchives, assembly, studio and other space.

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These investigations will provide EU politicians withinformation about resistance groups and movements iEastern Europe. Thus, the problems they bring withthem can be better understood..

The recommendations generated by the research areexpected to be applicable at different levels, rangingfrom individuals to institutions of different functionand at various scales: leisure, work places, educationinstitutions, mass media as well as governmentalinstitutions such as ministries. The recommendations

will be formulated regarding to the needs and rights oindividuals of varied identities, genders, cultures andvalues.

The project aims to enhance tolerance and facilitatejoint efforts between diverse social groups with regarto factors, such as age, gender, ethnicity, religion andcultural tastes. Further, it expects to initiate discussioabout arising social problems. Mutual understandingwill facilitate the integration of the new countries intthe social and cultural sphere of the EU whilesimultaneously preserving their authenticity.

Expected results

in theoryPolicy relevance of the project

Identifying processes leading to the

division of the society into individual

subgroups with different identities

Modeling of mycrodynamics of society

Revising of the theoryof subculture

Individual research discourses based on

general objectives of the project