Vol 16, No 2 (2025)

The paper presents an overview of the development of career theory in modern sociology of labour and shows the potential heuristic value of the integrative concept. The evolution of theoretical views on career is associated with the movement from traditional subjectivist (E. Hughes et al.) and objectivist (G. Wilensky, W. Slocum et al.) approaches to more modern theoretical models. Among the latter, the concepts of “proteic” (D. Hall) and “boundless” (M. Arthur, R. DeFillippi, D. Russo) career have gained particular popularity and scientific research significance. In comparison with the established by the 1950-1960s view of a career as a consistent ascent up the corporate ladder, with predominantly external attributes of success (e.g., a salary increase, a move to a higher position), new models reflect the socio-professional, organisational and technological transformations of the labour market of a post-industrial society, emphasising the multiplicity, flexibility and ambiguity of possible directions of professional development available to a modern employee. In sociology, the concept of a career is thus currently not limited to intra-organisational vertical mobility, but implies consideration of various horizontal and inter-organisational movements, as well as the study of the employees subjective views of their professional growth. The emphasis on the employee’s agency, inherent in new concepts, necessitates the development of an integrative approach to the phenomenon of career. Such an approach opens the possibility to take into account both individual-personal and contextual (structural) factors influencing professional behaviour. An integrative perspective allows partly to combine developments in the field of career research with the principles of the chosen social grand-theory in order to provide the scientist with a general and comprehensive conceptual framework. The development of an integrative approach that takes into account the societal factors influencing the subject of the career process has a promising perspective. The author suggests using as its basis the system of concepts by P. Bourdieu (habitus, field, capital), that are in dynamic interaction and are thus capable of contributing to overcoming the structure/agency dichotomy inherent in modern career theories.

The article analyses the results of sociological studies of regional problems and practices of the patriotic education among the youth of the Republic of Dagestan and the role of historical memory of the Great Patriotic War in this matter. Based on the results of an expert survey conducted among the subjects of educational work with the youth of the republic, the author found that the main shortcomings of practices in the field of patriotic education in the republic are: the prevalence of formalism during patriotic events, the prevalence of conservative methods in working with young people, as well as poor consideration of the ethnocultural specifics of the region. A serious issue in the way of the improvement of this work is the external destructive information and ideological pressure on the youth in the republic, that in recent years has become systemic. It is aimed, first of all, at eroding Russian civil identity and cultivating religious intolerance in a mass conscience of the local youth. Despite the positive effect of the implementation of many all-Russian patriotic actions and projects in the republic, the experts note their insufficient and weak support for local and regional patriotism in educational work with young people, for instilling love for the small homeland through a careful attitude to native languages, culture and traditions of the peoples of Dagestan. The author's review of modern scientific literature on the problem of patriotism in Dagestan revealed that the main topic that mobilises patriotic feelings of the local population remains the theme of the Great Patriotic War, combining national and local meanings and values. It was revealed that most of the events dedicated to the celebration of the anniversary of the Great Victory in the republic were part of all-Russian memorial practices, that indicates good inclusion of the republic in federal projects to mobilise collective memory and patriotism. At the same time, results of the monitoring of the information field of the region on the eve of the celebration of the anniversary of Victory demonstrate that many actions and initiatives of local authorities on education of patriotism on the basis of historical memory of the Great Patriotic War remained unnoticed in the non-governmental segment of information resources of the republic. The public reacts positively to the initiatives of the authorities in the field of historical memory, that meet the requests of the population and expresses a negative attitude, if the authorities do not take into account the priorities and needs of society.

The article is devoted to the study of combat traditions of the Russian Cossacks in the defence of the Motherland, their formation, military development during the Great Patriotic War and reproduction in modern conditions. The Cossacks formed a specific community of warriors who voluntarily took responsibility for protecting the borders and repelling the enemy attacks on their native land. The Cossacks took part in all military campaigns of Russia, legends were composed about their military glory. Cossack formations were distinguished by the status of an irregular army and by the autonomy of military service. They were famous for their combat skills, traditions and the spirit of military brotherhood. Preserving the tragic pages of their history and experiencing today's renaissance, the Cossacks continue to stand guard over national security. The objective of this article is to demonstrate the preserved and currently reproduced military traditions of the Cossack communities. The findings are based on qualitative data obtained during pilot studies conducted by the authors in February-March 2025. The study included an analysis of historical materials and documents, supplemented by in-depth interviews with representatives of the Cossack community, Cossack national squads, and Cossack fighters. The article also provides a historical retrospective of the participation of Cossacks in the defence of the Motherland. Particular attention is paid to participation of Cossack formations in the Great Patriotic War. The status of Cossack communities in the modern national security system, the features of their formation and staffing are being described. The traditional patriotism of the Cossacks is shown, that is characterised not only by a "protective" attitude, but also a "social" one, expressed in labour and altruistic service to their people. Based on the analysis of historical materials and interview data, the authors come to the conclusion that the Cossacks, as a special serving force, continue to preserve and pass on their traditions today. Cossacks respect and honor the military traditions that have developed over a century of their defence and war participation. The Cossack community believes in staunch patriotism, passionarity coupled with altruism, deep Orthodox faith intertwined with ancient superstitious traditions, military art, military camaraderie and regional сommunity.

In the conditions of transformations in the labour market in modern Russia due to the technological revolution, as well as geopolitical tensions and demographic problems, there increases the importance of improving programmes for training personnel for the regional economy. This circumstance determines the need to monitor the value orientations of students in the North Caucasus in the labour sphere. The presented work is based on the sociological study conducted by the Center for Political Science of the Institute of Political Studies of the Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The study was conducted in all subjects of the North Caucasian Federal District. The sample is 499 respondents. The purpose of the work is to study the labour attitudes of student youth in the North Caucasian Federal District. The study revealed that students are widely willing to move abroad or to a large city. The desire to live in a small town or a village is less common. However, in the North Caucasus, the share of those wishing to live in a small town or a village is higher than the national average, that is probably a consequence of the widespread traditional value systems in these localities, as well as multi-generational family types that encourage young people to stay at home. Students of higher education institutions of the North Caucasus Federal District note several main reasons that motivate them to move to another country. Most often, young people simply want to see the world - 56.5%, are not satisfied with the salary level - 36.5%, and another 20.8% note that there are few career prospects in Russia. The share of students planning to work in the specialty they received at the educational institution is low, which indicates the presence of structural unemployment in the region. Structural unemployment is a consequence of poorly established interaction between educational institutions (schools, colleges, universities), specialised government organisations and employers. Low wages as well are one of the main reasons for the low demand for work in the specialty. Among the most popular life goals, after graduation, students identified the following: getting a permanent job and ensuring high well-being. According to the majority of students in the North Caucasus, success is based primarily on personal qualities, such as intelligence, business acumen, entrepreneurship, professionalism, competence. A smaller proportion of surveyed students believe that achieving success in life depends on relatives, connections and acquaintances.

The article presents the results of quality testing and comparison of Hofstede's and Minkov's methods and models for measuring sociocultural characteristics at the individual level. The empirical base of the article is the data of population surveys of four regions of the European part of the Russian Arctic (total n = 3829), conducted with the participation of the authors in 2023-2024. A specific feature of the study is the use of both tools within a single questionnaire and on a single sample. At the analysis stage, the methods of multidimensional scaling (ALSCAL), exploratory factor analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis were used. Data processing was carried out using the SPSS software package, data analysis tools in the Python and R programming languages. The results obtained refute the criticism of the Hofstede model by M. Minkov regarding the "power distance" and "collectivism" indicators at the individual measurement level. While criticism related to the internal inconsistency of the masculinity indicator is more justified. Within the framework of the application of the Hofstede model and the Heydari methodology, six clusters are definitely distinguished, corresponding to six indicators that are appropriate to be distinguished; technically (mathematically) justified is also the distinguishing of 4, as well as 5, 7 and 8 indicators. The presented model and the corresponding Minkov methodology are also not fully consistent - the results of the study indicate a greater focus of the methodology not on 2, but 3 or 6 indicators within the model. Comparison of the values of factor loadings obtained as a result of confirmatory factor analysis indicates a stronger connection between the indicators of socio-cultural characteristics with the resulting factors in the methodology that implements the Hofstede model. Both of the considered methods have shortcomings and features that require further in-depth analysis. The general results of the comparison of the Hofstede and Minkov models of culture indicate, in the opinion of the authors, a somewhat greater research potential of the Hofstede model when applied at the individual level of measurements. The authors believe that in the future it is advisable to conduct a comparative assessment of the nomological validity and explanatory power of the Hofstede and Minkov models in the context of a study of the characteristics and socio-economic practices of the population, as well as aspects of the economic development of the regions of the Russian Federation.

This article examines the poorly studied problem of transformation of the image of the desired personal future of the population of one of the largest regions of Russia. The authors, using the results of their own field research, analyse the structure and dynamics of this image among residents of Krasnoyarsk Krai in 2015–2023. The article provides a definition of the image of the desired personal future, that is considered through the prism of the respondents' life-meaning orientations. The current state of Russian society has determined the use, along with the sociology of life, of methodological approaches aimed at studying the "trauma society". The value content of the image of the desired personal future was interpreted from the standpoint of E. Fromm's concept of two modes of human existence - Being and Possession. The empirical basis of the study is a survey of residents of the Krasnoyarsk Krai in 2015 (n = 1500) and in 2023 (n = 700). Factor analysis (principal component analysis, Varimax rotation) was used to process the data. The article characterises the personal meaning of the elements of the image of the desired future: "spiritual development, moral self-improvement" and "good family", that do not always coincide with the generally accepted interpretation of these values. It was found that, at the verbal level, the orientation towards the value constructs of the mode of Being has noticeably increased among residents of the region over 8 years. At the same time, a new latent value complex has been formed, combining the values of Being and Possession. The presence of a number of general trends in the dynamics of the value structures of regional residents and the value consciousness of the population of the country in general, obtained in the studies of the Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences is shown. It is suggested that some changes in the image of the desired future among the population of Krasnoyarsk Krai may be associated with processes of intense socio-cultural turbulence, as well as the rooting of consumer ideology in modern Russian society.