Research approaches and paradigms in the study of the cultural environment of the city

The subject of the study is a set of approaches and paradigms chosen by the authors to study the cultural environment of the city. The purpose of the work: a theoretical analysis of the variety of approaches to the definition of "cultural environment" in relation to the original category "culture." The object of the study is the definition of "culture" and "cultural environment" as part of the methodology for researching the cultural environment. The author considers in detail such aspects of the topic as general ideas about the cultural space, association with the category "culture" and features of the new, and integrative approach, according to which the cultural environment appears as a really perceived physical space, the area of implementation of cultural activities within the framework of socio-cultural communities, individual persons, axiological component of the cultural environment in the system of value coordinates, motivations and meanings, combination of axiological, information-semiotic and perceptual-aesthetic approaches to the study of the cultural environment. The relevance of the study consists in the need to understand the variety of research approaches to the study of the cultural environment, aimed at developing models of cultural policy at the regional and municipal levels. The scientific novelty of the study lies in understanding the essence of methodological paradigms emanating from the integrative definition of the cultural environment of the city. Another conclusion is related to the fact that culture in general, and the cultural environment in particular, determines axiological parameters, sets a system of value coordinates, motivations and meanings for man and humanity. The results of the work consist in understanding the existing methodological approaches to the study of the cultural environment of the city, determined by its integrative definition. The scope of the results: the scope of regional and municipal cultural policy.