Born in 1944.

1977 — Graduated from Tomsk State University, biological faculty.

1988 — Candidate of Sciences (PhD) in Philosophical Sciences, Novosibirsk State University.

Since 1993 — Director General of the Centre for Problems of Civil Society and Private Property.

2000–2004 — Head of the Expert Panel of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation.

2004–2005 — Senior Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation. Valid State Counsellor of the Russian Federation.

2008 — present — Professor, Head of the Department of Local Government of the National Research, University Higher School of Economics.

Lives in Moscow.