Vol 30, No 3 (2024)

This article is devoted to the problem of constructing a collective memory of the "inconvenient past" by modern elites of Russia on the example of the events of the 1917 revolution and the subsequent civil war. The conflict aspects of commemoration (installation of monuments and memorial signs) in the process of constructing an official historical narrative are considered. Concidered changes in the official historical narrative regarding the "difficult past" in different periods of time.The preservation of historical memory largely depends on the political objectives of the current government, which not only supports collective memory through various commemorative practices, but also constructs a modern historical narrative. This narrative does not imply the restoration of Soviet historiography; it combines a variety of interpretations of the events of the Revolution and the Civil War in the context of building the historical continuity of Russian statehood. Therefore, the images of some Soviet figures coexist with the figures of their opponents, forming ideas among the mass audience about patriotic service to the Russian state, regardless of ideological and political views.The "lost memory" is not being restored; current generations of Russians have not accepted the political experience of supporters of democratic socialism, who rejected Bolshevism and did not support the "white movement" in the civil war. The attitude towards the losers in the fight against the Bolsheviks today is negative, as towards weak and incapable politicians. Considering historical memory as an integral part of collective memory, it is concluded that only those events of the past that are perceived by society as extremely useful for modern generations are integrated into the structure of collective consciousness. In addition, the inertia of public consciousness affects the "selection of event material". For this reason, during the entire post-Soviet period, it was not possible to completely replace the former Soviet ideological cliches with a new historical narrative.

The article examines the concept of a hero in relation to the concept of a frontier, which the authors understand as a "contact field", a boundary that connects rather than separates the spatio-temporal field of conjugation of two or more realities. Particular attention is paid to the development of the frontier as a point of assembly and the personality of the hero and the new social normality. The need for a comparative analysis of the concepts of subject, actor, and hero that already exist in sociology is indicated. An attempt is made to differentiate these concepts, the main features of the hero as a total subject are given, the importance of distinguishing between an everyday hero and a "frontier" hero is indicated. The influence of the frontier as a factor in the formation of the hero's image is substantiated based on the materials of an empirical study conducted by the authors of the article in eight Federal Districts of the Russian Federation in 2023 (n = 1350). For this purpose, data are analyzed on a number of open and semi-closed questions depending on the place of residence of the respondents, that is, the territorial factor. The authors of the article come to the conclusion that the length of Russia and the diversity of its regions, the frontier status of some of them, provide the corresponding specificity and demand for a hero. Respondents from those subjects of the Russian Federation that currently act as a frontier themselves articulate their idea of a hero and heroism much more clearly. The military hero remains the textbook hero for Russians. A significant part of the independently named heroes are outstanding personalities, primarily of the Soviet era, mainly military leaders, politicians, child heroes of the Great Patriotic War. Everyday workers and laborers - doctors, health workers, volunteers, rescuers, teachers, scientists, etc., which was typical for the Soviet era, are not currently singled out as heroes by respondents. Which leads to the conclusion that the actor of Soviet modernism, which was associated with heroism, was closely associated with the concept of a hero (in particular, labor), is not relevant in the minds of Russians today. Such transformations are associated by the authors with the influence of the situational factor, as well as with the change of the corresponding social ontologies.

The purpose of the article is to identify new trends in the perception of tattoos in modern society with an additional focus on analyzing the motives for making decisions about their application, including the financial aspect of the costs of this type of self-expression of an individual. The object of the study - dominant reasons/factors of tattooing in modern realities. Subject - modern trends in the perception of tattoos by different categories of working Russians with a focus on identifying contradictions between self-actualization through tattooing and emerging obstacles from society. The authors use analytical approaches and statistical methods of comparison in analyzing secondary and obtaining primary data on the studied problems. Data from the authors' 2023 surveys were used as primary data. The method of content analysis of statements during the thematic discussion on the portal of pedagogical community was also used. As the research has shown, the situation within society is ambiguous. A significant number of Russians are interested in self-expression through tattooing, but society still has a traditionally wary attitude towards tattoo wearers, especially those employed in social sectors. For tattoo wearers, regardless of their professional credentials, there are often significant barriers to employment and career advancement. Despite this, the study shows a growing trend in the number of tattoo wearers. Those who have already got them earlier are ready for further financial expenditures for renewal of old and application of new tattoos. The amount of money that respondents plan, want and can spend on tattooing, despite the difficult economic situation, reaches 100 thousand rubles. The results of the study can be practically significant for scientists, specialists, as well as researchers of consumer behavior of Russians from the point of view of economic aspects of decision-making on new types of goods and services and the formation of spending on self-expression.

The article raises the problems related to the peculiarities of building a professional career of graduates with pedagogical education. Despite the constant demand in the labor market, educational organizations are in a situation of chronic shortage of teaching staff. The aim of the article is to analyze the difficulties and challenges faced by young teachers not only during employment, but also during the period of adaptation in an educational institution. Based on a large array of statistical data, as well as sociological studies conducted by the research teams of Institute of Sociology of FCTAS RAS and RSUH, risk factors and channels of leaving the labor market of young teachers-professionals shown. The article poses, firstly, the problem of insufficiently meaningful choice and, as a consequence, motivation of future teachers during their enrollment in the university, the formation of “professional ballast” of students unmotivated for the profession of teacher. Secondly, the problem of lack of necessary vacancies, insufficient salary, uncomfortable working conditions. Thirdly, the problem of adaptation to work in an educational institution: the lack of stress resistance, professionalism, communication competence, responsibility and initiative. It is concluded that in order to attract young teachers to schools it is necessary to take thoughtful measures to retain motivated people in the profession, starting from the university stage and ending with the creation of favorable conditions for their career development in the workplace.

The article presents the transformation of US migration policy and analyzes its impact on the balance of power in the 2024 presidential election campaign. The 2024 election campaign in the US is characterized by significant differences between the major parties and their voters, as well as an emphasis on key economic and immigration issues that have divided American society. Mexico is the main labor donor to the US, and it is also a gateway for illegal migration from Latin America and Southeast Asia. Almost all the time of the existence of the United States, the immigration policy of the country shows that migration plays an important role in the development of American society. The problem of illegal migration has always existed and continues to have a significant impact on the socio-economic development of the country. The current U.S. immigration strategy combines continuity with restrictive measures, while seeking to adapt migration flows to the economic needs of the country. The article analyzes the impact of migration policy on the U.S. political landscape during the 2024 election campaign. Migration policy in the United States today is a tool for conducting political struggle and "settling scores". Illegal migrants from Latin American countries will have a particular impact on the upcoming elections, so a characteristic feature of the 2024 election campaign is a cross-party struggle for the Latin American electorate, coupled with tougher migration policies. The authors draw attention to the reasons for the transformation of the US migration system and give their forecast regarding the outcome of elections in the country under certain conditions.

The problem of national identity is one of the most controversial, not losing scientific and socio-political relevance for many centuries. National identity is based on a system of value guidelines that unites individuals into a single historical, cultural and social community. The formation of national self-awareness occurs in the process of internalization by an individual of the value system of his country. At the same time, the self-perception of belonging to a certain nation is not predetermined by formal citizenship and is not given once and for all; throughout the life of an individual there is the possibility of choice and change of national identity. This choice is inevitable when the country’s value guidelines change. The modern period in Russian history, and indeed the whole world, is a kind of bifurcation point; the values of the globalizing world, the so-called Western values, come into conflict with traditional Russian values. For the preservation of Russian national identity, the choice of young people is of particular importance. The future of the country depends on what value guidelines form the basis of the national self-determination of today's Russian youth. The article presents the results of a study of the relationship between socio-political values and the choice of national identity of Russian students. It is not by chance that students are identified as the object of observation. As the avant-garde, the most educated part of young people with high ambitions and a desire for social independence, students are the most receptive to change. For the analysis, empirical data from a study by the Center for Political Science of the Institute of Socio-Political Research of FCTAS RAS “Students of Russia: civic culture and life strategies” were used. Using the method of factor analysis, based on the results of an empirical study, three basic types of identity were identified: “Russian, person of his city”, “person of the world, the Internet”, “Asian”. It has been proven that the prevailing type of student identity is closely related to his socio-political attitudes and guidelines. The types that differ most in their views are “Russian, person of the city” and “person of the world, the Internet.” The first type is characterized by pronounced positive assessments of Russia's situation on the world stage, optimistic forecasts for the development of both the economy and the development of the country as a whole in 10-15 years. Representatives of this type see the main national idea in the unity of the peoples of Russia in order to revive the country as a great power. Representatives of the “person of the world, Internet” type are characterized by less positive assessments of the present and future of Russia. The main national idea for them is to create a legal and modern democratic state, the path of development is a free market economy. Among the values, such concepts as human rights, freedom and democracy are more significantly represented. But the most important difference between the second type is the pronounced migration sentiment.

The article is analyzing current sociology in the context of fragmentation and integration periods in the discipline history. The first integrative wave in the history of sociology was in the 1920s– 1950s. It appeared in grand theories by P.Sorokin, T.Parsons, the Frankfurt school which united heterogeneous ideas from classics in models of society as system. After the paradigm crisis of the 1960s– 1970s and following spread of postmodernist discourse, the second integrative wave arose in form of theories overcoming gaps between concepts of determinist structures and constructivist agency (J.Habermas, A.Giddens, P.Bourdieu) as well as in form of metatheorizing (G.Ritzer, P.Sztompka, J.Alexander). Today’s fragmentation of sociology under conditions of metaparadigm crisis and post-globalization is provoked by the rising postcolonial discourse, by attempts to stigmatize western classics and to create theoretical alternatives to the ‘global North’ domination in knowledge production as well as by spread of conceptions opposing social reality of networks and flows to classical sociality of structures and agency (M.Castells, B.Latour, J.Urry, K.Knorr Cetina). The third integrative wave is expected to come in the 2020s displacing tendencies of disintegration, discrimination, growing gaps and rising barriers. Now theories are relevant as they create a coherent configuration of four types of structures: institutions, interactions, networks, and flows. The new subject matter for theorizing is constituted by their interconnections in forms of fields of structurations, scapes of assemblages, communications, platforms, projects, and events. A metaphor of augmented reality is integrating different concepts of social reality and it is overcoming constitutive distinctions in the last century sociology: between system and lifeworld, locality and globality, the private and public, the material and symbolic, the real and virtual, the physical and digital, etc.