Abstract. In October 2011, in the Center for Comparative Socio-Economic and Socio-Political Studies of IMEMO RAN the meeting of a scientific-theoretical workshop on the subject «"Alternative capitalism" or Alternative to Capitalism?» took place. Problems of conceptual crisis in social sciences and methodology of the modern socio-political changes analysis were in the spotlight. The discussion evolved over two main problems: 1. Knowledge crisis or development crisis? On methodology of the modern socio-political changes analysis and problems of a new social sciences research paradigm development. 2. Capitalism and modernization. Main ideas of presentations by scientists from IMEMO and other scientific institutions are outlined in two issues of the journal (No. 7, 8).