Bielikov V. Socio-demographic transformations of peripheral areas of the Northern part of Luhansk region.

This dissertation is devoting to socio-geographical research of socio-demographic transformations of the peripheral areas of the northern part of Luhansk region. On the basis of the analysis of previous studies had been improving the conceptual-terminological apparatus of socio-geographical research of peripheral areas transformation. The topological, economic, demographic and social features of the periphery were substantiated. In the dissertation had systematized the concept of "peripheral areas" as an element of the geospatial structure of the region, "peripherality" as a property of the areas and "peripheralization" as a human-spatial process of acquiring part of the region of peripherality properties. It had been revealing the essence of socio-demographic transformations of peripheral areas of the region. It had been describing the possible positive and negative consequences of socio-demographic transformations. It had been formulating the methodics of human-geographical research of socio-demographic transformations of peripheral areas. The selection of four research stages (preparatory, theoretical-methodological, analytical and synthetic) and related research procedures had proposed. It had substantiated the expediency of using the system of methods. The complex estimation of factors of socio-demographic transformations of peripheral territories of northern part of Luhansk region had carried out. It had been determined that the majority of peripheral areas in Ukraine are rural with a high concentration of socio-economic problems. Attention is drawn to the heterogeneity of peripheral areas in Ukraine. Territorially, the research object is allocated within 11 administrative districts of the northern part of the Luhansk oblast, where there is a "triple" peripherality, that is, areas are peripheral as topological features (border areas in the field of military conflict), as well as economic and socio-demographic features.