On the methodology of the community and generational university structure research

The article discusses methodological issues of the study of the social structure of the university, which are of interest and relevant for the current stage of development of Russian higher education. There are two sets of university problems that require consideration at the methodological level. The first one draws attention to the conceptual framework, differentiation of the structure, its various elements, subsystems, and contradictions. The second set includes consideration of various methodological approaches necessary to characterize the social structure of the university, primarily community-based and generational. The article characterizes the provisions of the theory of social community of F. Tennis and the views of K. Mannheim as the founder of the theory of generations in the context of the application of community and generational approaches to the consideration of the social structure of the university. The purpose of the article is to analyze the methodological problems of sociological research of the social structure of the university separately and in their interaction. The logic of the article presupposes the formulation of research questions, the characterization of types of social structure, the interpretation of community and generational structures, and further their interaction. At the same time, special attention is paid to the contradictions in the inter-community and intergenerational relations of representatives of different university communities. It is argued that they are inevitable and that in the processes of their emergence and overcoming, some relationships and contradictions overlap with others: generational communities with educational ones and vice versa, younger generations with middle and older ones and vice versa, some educational communities – scientific and pedagogical workers with others – students and administrative and managerial workers and vice versa. Attention is drawn to the role of university management structures in regulating educational and generational interactions. The task of sociologists in emerging situations is determined by the need to monitor and investigate them, as well as to look for ways to solve emerging problems.