The Functioning of Cities in the Context of Globalization: Saskia Sassen's Theory

The current trends and specifics of transformations of modern sociological theory are determined by the challenges that faced by societies of the XXI centuries. Social changes require theoretical understanding and need to develop new approaches that allow us to interpret modern reality. One of these approaches is proposed by the modern American sociologist Saskia Sassen. She builds an integral concept of modernity with the corresponding content of the subject field and problems. The scientist focuses on the current processes of globalization, urbanization, transnational migration and inequality, including global inequality, revealing the essence and specifics of the transformations of modern societies, which necessitates a detailed analysis of her theory. The article considers the main groups of factors that influenced the formation of Saskia Sassen’s theory, including the atmosphere of interdisciplinarity and multiculturalism, within which the sociologist carried out her scientific and research activities, as well as socio-historical conditions, in particular, globalization and global problems. The key theoretical and methodological approaches and research directions that determine the specifics of the formation of scientific views of the sociologist are closely related to the selected groups of factors. In particular, special attention is paid to the analysis of marxist and neo-marxist approaches, theories of society in the second half of the XX century, sociological theories of globalization, and sociological theories of the city. The author attempts to systematize the structural components of Saskia Sassen’s sociological theory, to reveal the heuristic potential of her theoretical and methodological approach, to identify the specifics of the interpretation of globalization and differences from other approaches to the study of modern global trends.