Theories of social space in the works of scientists

In modern sociology the ‘social space’ term serves as one of the principal notions used to describe processes occurring within the society – between the individuals as well as between the groups. This paper explores the evolution of the ‘social space’ concept in the works of scientists, starting from the ideas of understanding space purely within the terms of its geometrical data and finishing with identification of its emotional and metaphysical essences. It briefly covers the ideas of G. Simmel, E. Cassirer, M. Foucault, P. Sorokin, H. Lefebvre, P. Bourdieu, D. Harvey and A. Filippov. Most of the scientists single out several levels of space understanding: a space of material objects with their physical properties that can be measured or described; a space perceived by a particular observer at a particular point of time; and a cultural, relational, metaphysical space endowed with meaning that has been gathered within time.