Sociology of professions – situation and prospects (round table)

The «round table» discussed the problems of sociology of professions and the prospects for a relatively new section in the journal «Sociological Studies» in the year of the anniversary of the journal. The discussion focuses on the analysis of the subject and object of this discipline, its theoretical and methodological foundations, issues of modern problems of the discipline, the most promising research areas, the specifics of its existence in Russian sociology. The most significant aspects of the sociology of professions subject area are related to the professional activity, the interaction of professionals and professional communities with the state, society, and the market. Attention is paid to the analysis of the discipline origins, the adaptation of its conceptual and methodological approaches: developments in the national sociology of labour, employment and management, studies of the intelligentsia, approaches of sociology, anthropology, ethnography of professions, and other disciplines played an important role. Contradictions in the development of sociology of professions theoretical and methodological explanatory models, as well as research directions, are also shown. It is noted that despite the long-term crisis of the discipline, its potential in the study of modern processes in the field of labor and employment, social policy, and the formation of professional communities is still high. Participants: Roman N. ABRAMOV, Dr. Sci. (Sociol.), Prof. of Sociology Department, Leading Researcher of the International Laboratory for Social Integration Research, HSE University; Leading Researcher Institute of Sociology of FCTAS RAS, Moscow ([email protected], [email protected]); Elena R. IARSKAIA-SMIRNOVA, Dr. Sci. (Sociol.), Рrof., Head of International Laboratory of Social Integration Research, HSE University, Moscow ([email protected]; [email protected]); Valeriy A.MANSUROV, Dr. Sci. (Sociol.), Prof., Chief Researcher, Head of the Sector of Sociology of Professions and Professional Groups, Institute of Sociology of FСТAS, Moscow ([email protected]); Aleksandra A. MOSKOVSKAYA, Cand. Sci. (Econ.), Director, Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation Studies, HSE University, Moscow ([email protected]); Irina P. POPOVA, Cand. Sci. (Sociol.), Leading Researcher, Institute of Sociology of FCTAS RAS, Moscow ([email protected]); Natalya N. STARTSEVA, Cand. Sci. (Soc.), Assoc. Prof., Ural State University of Railway Transport, Yekaterinburg ([email protected]); Olesya V. YURCHENKO, Cand. Sci. (Sociol.), PhD, Senior Researcher of the Institute of Sociology of FCTAS RAS, Moscow ([email protected]). All – Russia.