Administrative-territorial division of the state and territorial organization of local self-government: sociological analysis

Abstract

The article examines the issue of ambiguityin the correlation between the territorial organization of local selfgovernment and the administrative-territorial division of the state.After analyzing the federal, regional,and local regulatory legal frameworks using cities as an example,we can conclude that the legislators do not differentiate between municipalities (urban districts) and different types of administrative-territorial divisions (cities).If an urban district is located inside city borders,the title «Head of the city» can be used formally.Nevertheless,since these territorial units differ,federal clarification is necessaryregarding the title of the position «Head of the city».The Novosibirsk Oblast was chosen as the study's subject because it is the region where municipal reforms are most widely implemented.Currently,there are differences in the types of territorial entities and the names of municipal service positions.To improve the establishment of a unified system of public authority in the Russian Federation,legislators should define common terminology for the state's territorial organization.