Born in 1944.

1968 — Graduated from the Institute of Oriental Languages at Lomonosov Moscow State University.

Since 1967 Levinson has been a student and later employee of on of the founders of the Levada Centre.

He has previously worked as a sociologist at the Design Institute of Residential and Public Buildings, at the Giproteatr Centre and at the Institute of Technical Aesthetics.

Since 1988 Levinson has been parted of the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VTsIOM).

Since 2004 — Head of the Socio-Cultural Research Department of the independent Levada Centre.

Since 2007 — Professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences / School of Sociology / Department of Sociological Research Methods at HSE.

Lives in Moscow.