Ideology: operationalization of the concept and analytical model development (part I)

The article is devoted to the issue of operationalization of the ideology concepts as a variable in empirical researches. The range of issues in modern studies of ideology at the level of empirical observations is quite diverse: from the ideological attitudes of political activists and organizations, to psychological and genetic factors influencing individual choice in favor of any ideology. However, according to the authors, this kind of researches lack methodological coherence, since the set of indicators for interpreting ideology is often determined arbitrarily. There is a need to develop an operational concept of ideology, reflecting its key functions at different levels of existence in society: theoretical in the form of doctrines, political programs level in the activities of political leaders and organizations, as well as at the level of everyday views of individuals. Thus, the authors strive to identify the place of ideology in the system of political ideas and ideas about politics, to highlight the structural elements of ideology and their relationships in the context of various types of social practice for the subsequent development of an analytical model that allows analyzing ideological constructs both at the level of theory and at the level of individuals’ perceptions.