Environment as a sociocultural phenomenon

Abstract

This article is dedicated to consideration of the environment as a sociocultural phenomenon. Emphasis is placed on the trend of changing the attitude towards environment from technological to sociocultural. Examination of the environment in such paradigm allows reconsidering the phenomenon from axiological perspective, which transforms the attitude towards environment, at times fundamentally. The article employs the analysis of secondary data of the conducted applies research, as well as the expert survey of specialists from the three neighboring countries – Russia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia. The following conclusions were formulated: the environment is perceived as universal and regional value that impacts the spiritual life of an individual and the society, thereby ensuring their spiritual security; 2) the adoption of managerial decisions in the environmental sphere should be associated with conceptualization of this phenomenon as sociocultural, which increases the degree of responsibility and importance of the environment for the intergenerational continuity of culture-bearers. The novelty of the work consists in substantiation of the need for paradigm shift in comprehension of the environment as a sociocultural phenomenon. The focus may move from the economic or ultimately ecological attitude towards environment to sociocultural.