Sociological Portrait Research Articles

Secular, religious or spiritual? A sociological portrait of UK mindfulness teachers

ABSTRACT Mindfulness is commonly defined in the public and professional realms as a secular therapeutic technique, but less attention has been paid to the practitioners at the vanguard of the contemporary UK mindfulness milieu and the extent to which their personal beliefs align with this profile. Drawing on a nationwide survey of 768 teachers of mindfulness, as well as 82 semi-structured interviews and a focus group with selected mindfulness practitioners, this article presents a detailed sociological portrait of UK mindfulness teachers, including their religious and spiritual identities, understandings of mindfulness, and strategies for negotiating these across personal and professional domains. The analysis reveals a far more spiritual cohort than might have been assumed, raising questions about the nature, function and significance of increasingly widespread mindfulness teaching practices in Western societies, and offering insights into the evolution of contemporary relations between ‘the secular’, ‘the religious’ and ‘the spiritual’ within the modern world.

Class rivalry in ethno-national migration: Soviet intelligentsia vs. the Russian middle class in Israel

ABSTRACT While most research on stigmatization in migration deals with the prejudice of locals toward immigrants, this article analyzes the symbolic rivalry and contest vividly present in the intra-group Russian-language immigrant discourse in Israel. Drawing on our recent digital ethnography, we focus on the heated discussion between the two social class-based groups – the Soviet-Jewish ‘Intelligentsia’, oldcomers from the Soviet Union to Israel, and the recent migration from Putin’s Russia. If the first is a remnant of the Soviet social structure, the latter is the symbolic successor of the former and is part of the post-Soviet transition. In our interpretation of the harsh digital exchange, we build on the conceptualization of educated middle-class migration and then employ the theoretical lenses of scapegoating and Orientalization – mechanisms of inter-group stigmatization that are both universal and driven by particular scripts of social relations. Our analysis contributes to understanding the broader context of contemporary migration by demonstrating the role played by significant social categories borrowed from home in post-migration processes and group relations. In addition, the article offers a pioneering sociological portrait of the new post-Soviet immigrant group leaving Russia under Putin’s regime.

Bir Zamanlar Anadolu’da Filmi Bağlamında Türk Toplum Yapısında Bürokrasi, İktidar ve Kadın Görünümü

Nuri Bilge Ceylan's "Once Upon a Time in Anatolia" explores social dynamics and authority relations around a murder investigation set deep in Anatolia. The movie offers a good example of reading Turkish social structure through themes such as authority, hierarchy, bureaucracy and female innocence. Throughout the film, Power and hierarchy in the Turkish social structure reveals the authority structures and authority relations in the village society, while at the same time criticizing the bureaucratic structure in the society through bureaucracy, obstacles and dysfunction in the investigation process. Instead of the usual bureaucratic structure, Turkish society's perspectives, views and understanding of bureaucracy, authority and hierarchy relations and the manifestations of these concepts in society are seen. At the same time, it emphasizes the innocence of women, the powerlessness of female characters and the obligation to conform to social norms, thus opening up for discussion gender roles and the position of women in society. It tries to explain the Turkish social structure's perspective on women in the context of concepts such as innocence and punishment, as well as in the context of women and gender roles. In a general context, the relationship between concepts such as dichotomies, power, authority, bureaucracy and the Turkish social structure is revealed. The quiet and isolated village life of Anatolia actually harbors the complexity of social dynamics and power relations. By reflecting this complexity, the film allows for a deeper understanding of Anatolian society. "Once Upon a Time in Anatolia" is not just the story of a murder investigation, but rather a social and sociological portrait that examines the complexity of social structures and relations. Keywords- Authority Bureaucracy, Turkish Social Structure Woman

Armenian Diaspora of Mordovia: Socio-Cultural Portrait (Experience of Sociological Analysis)

Introduction. The relevance of studying national diasporas in Russia is due to the intensification of ethno-confessional contradictions in the near abroad and the expansion of migration flows. The importance of the issues of adaptation and integration of migrants within the framework of established regional societies increases, a certain conflict potential within diasporas is fixed. The scientific novelty consists in the fact that the data of the sociological study of the Armenian Diaspora for 2023 was introduced into scientific circulation. The purpose of the article is to describe the sociocultural portrait of the Armenian Diaspora in the conditions of a multi-ethnic and multi-confessional region (Republic of Mordovia).Methodology and sources. The genre of the sociological portrait in the framework of the study of society involves a comprehensive description of society, a systematic analysis of its basic characteristics. The authors compiled a sociocultural portrait of the Armenian diaspora, and at the same time emphasized the problems of adaptation and integration of Armenians into the multiethnic space of the region.Results and discussion. The primary data were the results of two waves of sociological research in 2017 and 2023, conducted by employees of the State Institution of the Republic of Moldova «Scientific Center for Socio-Economic Monitoring». 185 respondents were interviewed in 2017 and 285 in 2023. The sample is targeted, the recruitment of respondents was carried out through regional diaspora networks, as well as by the «snowball» method. As a result, the features of the settlement of the Armenian Diaspora, employment and labor practices are identified. The article characterizes the ethnic and confessional attitudes of the diaspora, and also reveals the specifics of social identity and linguistic attitudes.Conclusion. The socio-cultural portrait of the Armenian Diaspora in Mordovia is quite static and differs in already formed features. The social well-being of Armenians in Mordovia is generally positive. Positive assessments prevail in the perception of the financial situation, relations with the local society, and respect for their rights. The integration processes taking place in the Armenian Diaspora are characterized by a high degree of expression and positive dynamics, but do not imply complete assimilation. Integration occurs with varying degrees of intensity in specific areas of everyday life, such as economic, social, cultural and political.

ЦІННІСНО-СВІТОГЛЯДНІ ОРІЄНТИРИ УКРАЇНСЬКОГО СУСПІЛЬСТВА 1991 РОКУ (НА МАТЕРІАЛАХ ГАЗЕТИ «ЛІТЕРАТУРНА УКРАЇНА»)

In the conditions of the collapse of the USSR and the gaining of independence by Ukraine, the Ukrainian public faced a number of challenges regarding national identity, historical memory, national and political consciousness, etc. In this vein, in 1991, the Center for Political Psychology and Communication of the Kyiv Union of Higher School Teachers schools and scientists, together with the editorial board of the «Literary Ukraine» newspaper, conducted a sociological study on the study of public opinion regarding the topical issues of that time, historical memory, and national consciousness. A number of questions were posed to society: «Who are we?», «What are we like?», «What do we want and what must we do?», «What kind of people are we?», «What kind of historical memory do we have?», «Do we believe in the national, spiritual and state revival of Ukraine?». The article shows the national composition of the population of Ukraine. A sociological portrait of survey respondents was made. The affiliation of the respondents to one or another political culture was determined, where the attitude towards the state leader was the main evaluation criterion, when the western political culture is oriented towards the equality of all citizens, including the leader of the state, while the eastern political culture is focused on the charisma of the leader. The ratio of different personality types among carriers of types of political culture is shown in percentages, their behavior in conflicts, which gives us a certain idea about the formation of their genotype, identity. The opinions of representatives of different types of political culture regarding the principles of choosing the president, regarding the forms of cooperation of Ukraine with the subjects of the former USSR, were analyzed, regarding the rating of historical figures, the popularity of political figures of Ukraine, the significance of Ukraine’s entry into the USSR and the proclamation of the Act of Independence of Ukraine. It was concluded that the society was not monolithic, identical, because it was formed under the influence of many different factors, among which a special place is occupied by the valuable and worldview aspect of the behavior of various social groups, which was related to their interaction with the political authorities. In this respect, the issue of entry/secession of Crimea and Donbas was indicative. That is, already at the moment when Ukraine gained independence, the mentioned question began to be raised at the level of separatism.

A Sociological Portrait of a Family Business in Post-Soviet Economies: Challenges from the Market, Government, and Society, as well as Interaction with These Institutions in the Context of Digital Governance and Business Development

A Sociological Portrait of a Family Business in Post-Soviet Economies: Challenges from the Market, Government, and Society, as well as Interaction with These Institutions in the Context of Digital Governance and Business Development

Adult education and training for the development of problem-solving skills

Introduction. Currently, the presence of employees with developed basic skills of working with textual and numerical information can no longer explain how effectively a person functions in society and the professional sphere. This is due to the rapid transformation of the innovative economy and the renewal of production technologies and business processes. Therefore, the key basic skills of the adult population have been supplemented with one more cognitive skill – problem solving. Aim. The present research aimed to present a portrait of a person with a developed problem-solving skill on the basis of sociological data, and to identify which types of employee training could most effectively lead to his/her development during participation in educational activities. Materials and methods. The study was based on theoretical methods of literature analysis, which made it possible to describe the categorical field and to systematize existing scientific approaches. The empirical foundation for this research was built on the data of OECD-PIAAC studies in Russia (2013). The study sample consisted of 3,877 people employed in various sectors of economic activity. To process the results obtained, the authors used the methods of mathematical statistics (descriptive statistics, one-factor analysis of variance, regression analysis method). Results. It was discovered that even prolonged employer-provided training does not lead to development of problem-solving skills, but still provides an increase in salary for some workers. Moreover, training which is not directly connected to the professional field and not initiated by the employer would lead to increase in problem-solving skills in a technology-rich environment. In this study, it is debated that the most significant increase in problem solving skills was brought by informal on-the-job training. It was shown that problem-solving skills provide significant increase in labour productivity in the production fields and intellectual labour fields (education and science). At the same time, problem-solving skills barely provide any increase in labour productivity in the routine fields, because such type of jobs does not involve behavioural variability, operational problem solving, and constant cooperation with other people. Scientific novelty. For the first time in the Russian academic literature, the authors conceptualised the concept of problem-solving skills and clarified which types of training significantly increase the contribution to the development of human capital of Russian workers. Based on the results of the study the authors presented a sociological portrait of a Russian worker with a high and low level of problem-solving skills. The revealed patterns allowed the authors to form an idea of the system of organisational conditions of enterprises that ensure maximum involvement of employees in the constant updating of their knowledge and skills, and contribute to the effective use of the problems-solving skill in the process of labour activity. Practical significance. This article might be of interest for the specialists in sphere of adult education and lifelong learning, HR-specialists and small and medium-sized enterprise managers in order to improve the efficiency of the recruitment process and to adopt more efficient employer-provided training systems.

Cognitive Sociological Portrait of Secular Modernity: The Study of Perceptual Experience in Delayed Modernity

16. yüzyılda başlayan reform oluşumları, bir asır sonra Aydınlanma sürecini getirirken, rasyonelleşmeyi ve sekülerleşmeyi birbirine bağladı. Reformasyon sürecinde öne çıkmaya başlayan katı bilimsel görüşler, 16. yüzyılda Galileo Galilei ile ve bir asır sonra da Newton ile rüştünü ispatlayınca, benzer dalga sosyal alanda da vuku buldu. O zamana kadar egemen olan gelenek, yani kilise, despotik otorite ve kültürel yapı, bilimsel, felsefi görüşlerle sorgulanmaya girişildi. Çok boyutlu bir dönüşümü işaret eden Aydınlanma süreci, oldukça karmaşık ve açıklama açısından, bir o kadar da tartışmalı bir dönemdir. Makalede, Batı medeniyetinde ortaya çıkan Aydınlanma, rasyonelleşme ve sekülerleşme süreçlerinin, ülkemizde yapılagelen kavramsallaştırmalarında, gecikmiş modernitenin özgünlüğünün dikkate alınmamasından kaynaklanan yöntem yanlışlarının olduğu savunuldu. Bu amaçla, modern çağın bilişsel kabiliyetlerini inşa eden bu sürecin, bilişsel sosyolojik açıdan ele alınması gerektiği ileri sürüldü. Düşünsel ve sosyo-kültürel yapıyı kısıtlayan katı dini yapının kırılarak, deneysel düşüncenin pratik olarak hayata geçirilme süreci olan seküler modernite, algısal deneyim çalışması biçiminde inşa edildi. Aydınlanma sürecinin kasıtlı rasyonellikle ortaya çıkardığı seküler modernitenin, dil ve dini, dönüşlü etkileşime tabi kılarak, aklın evrensel algısını ve gerçekliğin yerel standartlarını nasıl artırdığı incelendi. Bu bağlamda, seküler dil ile dinin yapının etkileşimli süreci ortaya çıkarılarak, sekülerleşmenin algısal deneyime dayalı olduğu savı bilişsel olarak yapılandırıldı.

ОСОБЕННОСТИ ИНСТИТУЦИОНАЛИЗАЦИИ МОЛОДЕЖНЫХ СУБКУЛЬТУР НА РЕГИОНАЛЬНОМ УРОВНЕ В РАМКАХ ТЕОРИИ МАЛЫХ ГРУПП (НА ПРИМЕРЕ ВОРОНЕЖСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ)

The purpose of the study is in the comprehensive and multidimensional study of the problem of integration of youth subcultures’ representatives into movements created at the initiative of federal and regional authorities, as well as volunteer and volunteer initiatives. The research methodology consisted in using the sociological method, which made it possible to evaluate the nominated candidates in terms of their sociological portraits. Youth subcultures are considered at the present stage of development of society, as well as the degree of involvement of young people in involvement in subcultures. Based on the analysis of the conducted studies, a conclusion is made about the possibilities of using the potential of youth subcultures and volunteer associations in the system of social management of society. Questions are concretized regarding the varieties of subcultures, the terminology of volunteering (volunteering). As a result, it is noted that at the moment representatives of youth subcultures are in no hurry to integrate into the official state-supported movement. In this regard, it is necessary to understand the motives and causes of such a paradox, as well as to use it for further work with these associations. As a result, the author draws conclusions about the attitude towards subcultures in the modern youth environment, as well as about the use of their potential in the activities of the authorities and administration of the region. On the one hand, interest in a number of subcultures is gradually fading away, on the other hand, young people are trying to find themselves, often not knowing what programs and actions exist aimed at people aged 18 to 35.

Bauman: A Biography

Bauman: A Biography

MODERN TREND IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ECONOMY AND SOCIETY: DIGITAL SOCIETY AS A SPECIAL STAGE OF THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

The relevance of the study is due to the need to study the problems of the digital society as a special stage of the information society. The article presents interpretations of the concept of digitalization. The prerequisites for digitalization are indicated. The results of studies of the digital divide between the regions of the Russian Federation and individual socio-professional groups, as well as the features of the current stage of the development of civilization and the sociological interpretation of the digital society, the sociological portrait of a person of digital civilization are considered. The results of a sociological study of the attitude of the population towards digitalization are presented. The study was conducted by the method of a questionnaire survey of residents of the Altai Territory aged 17 to 75 years (n = 154). Empirical data processing was carried out by the method of frequency analysis. The results of the study are presented in the article in comparison with statistical data reflecting the level of development of the digital economy in Russia. In conclusion, the article emphasizes the importance of research into the problems of the digital society, summarizes the results of a study of the opinion of the population of the Altai Territory regarding digitalization. It is noted that studies of the problems of the digital society make it possible to expand the understanding of digital reality and optimize the process of digital transformation of the state and society, to ensure security in the digital society.

Formation of a social portrait of a police officer of the Russian Federation at the present stage

In the last decade, interest in the image of a police officer has been increasing. The ongoing changes affect all spheres of life of modern society, the public perception of the police is also changing, which also actualizes the topic under consideration. The term "social portrait" or "sociological portrait" appears quite often in the scientific literature. However, a number of studies have not even attempted to justify the need for the use of this term in any way. In principle, this term was also not deterministic in a practice-oriented environment. The absence of a methodological description is characteristic not only for modern researchers, but also for Soviet scientists who quite often used the term "social portrait", meaning by it some abstract generalized characteristic of a certain social class. The object of the study is the social portrait of a police officer. The subject of the study is the basic components that influence the formation of a social portrait of a police officer. The goal-setting of the formation of a social portrait at the present stage is determined by the attitude of police officers to their professional activities, promotion, the socio-psychological atmosphere within the team, the attitude of police officers to family and marriage, money and recreation. The scientific novelty lies in the proposed approach to the formation of a social portrait of a police officer, the peculiarity of which is the definition of basic components that allow identifying the characteristic features of this social group. The main methods of obtaining information can be a questionnaire survey, interviews, content analysis. The practical significance lies in the fact that the information obtained can be used in scientific, pedagogical, practical work when considering issues related to the formation of personnel and reserve, training of employees according to professional training programs, moral and psychological support, social guarantees, etc.

On the history of midwifery

January 8th is Midwife Day. On this day, it is customary to honor the so-called «midwives». In the history of obstetrics in the first half of the 19th century, the activity of midwives was firmly entrenched namely for women who dominated in obstetric activities due to established views on birth as the female area and the existing kind of «taboo» on «unpopularity» of this specialization among male doctors during the study period. At the same time, the very definition of «midwife» was applied both to those who received a special education, and to «uneducated rural midwives». The midwife in rural areas occupied the main place in maternity rituals and in obstetric practice. In the activities of the midwife, rational and irrational methods of traditional medicine were used. A sociological portrait of a midwife is presented.

“In the Union, Everyone Should Read”: Reader as an Institution of the Soviet Culture

The present review focuses on the third volume of the collective study Reading Russia: A History of Reading in Modern Russia and aims at analyzing the methods of studying reading practices proposed in the aforementioned publication. The articles included in the peer-reviewed volume are studied in detail against the background of previously published scholarly literature on the history of reading, as well as in relation to archival and previously (un)published materials that have so escaped researchers’ attention. The broad historical and literary material shows that the «narratives» proposed in the reviewed volume do not present a full-fledged history of reading practices, but describe only individual disparate reading strategies of typologically different readers. The forms of institutionalization of reading in the USSR that were left out are sometimes much more important in the context of transformations in reading practices than the total collection of the «cases» offered in the volume. At the same time, the case study review offers an opportunity to talk about ‘the reader of the 20th century’ as a special institution of Soviet culture. This is why much of the review presents an attempt to find other principles and strategies of analysis on which the history of reading in the «small twentieth century» can be based. The article offers a sociological portrait of the average reader, whose main features were formed during the Stalinist era and remained unchanged throughout the previous century. These features have existed in the same form for almost a quarter of the present century. The material that has been excluded from the present research can be divided into three groups: facts that characterize the Soviet state of affairs; information about the most important forms of institutionalized reading in the USSR-specific cultural environment; information concerning aesthetic and economic aspects of the book. A detailed commentary on each of these groups is intended to supplement and elaborate on the authors' concept. Along with the analysis of archival documents, we draw on materials from the funds of various public organizations and bodies, as well as periodicals, published memoirs, diaries and other materials available to us.

Analysis of recreational needs of visitors to the Arey Nature Park

The article presents the results of a sociological survey of visitors to the Arey Nature Park. Based on the questionnaire conducted in July 2020, the paper demonstrates an analysis of recreational needs and a sociological portrait of a visitor to the Arey Nature Park. The article analyses suggestions of vacationers and contains recommendations based on the identified needs and problems mentioned by the visitors in the organization of operation of the protected area. Almost all park visitors note a strong appeal to the natural scenery of the territory. The sanitary condition of the territory and the limited range of services available are highlighted as significant shortcomings in the operation of the park administration.

ЦЕННОСТИ ПАТРИОТИЗМА МОЛОДЕЖИ РОССИИ КАК РЕСУРС СОЦИАЛЬНОГО РАЗВИТИЯ ОБЩЕСТВА

The purpose of the work is to empirically substantiate the need to form the values and meanings of patriotism among new generations of youth entering into life. Such work of state and non-state actors can become a certain foundation for the participation of new generations in the creative development of society, in counteracting destruction among the youth. A special place in the work is given to the patriotism of young representatives of the middle class, who have the most expressed civic position compared to the rest of the youth, which directly correlates with the value of patriotism.The result of the work was the author's interpretation of patriotism as a conscious attachment of new generations in love for their homeland, historical heritage and traditions of their country formed by state and public institutions. The evidence base of the study is based on the results of sociological research conducted at the Department of Sociology and Social Technologies. These studies reflect: 1) a holistic sociological portrait of modern youth, 2) features of generational self-identification, 3) socio-political and leisure preference of youth in the region. A special place in the work is given to the patriotism of young representatives of the middle class, as a potential for the development of modern society. It is summarized that true patriotism is generated by an inner feeling of a conscious and voluntarily accepted position of a person on the basis of individual freedom, prompted to specific socially significant actions.

Influence of media convergence on public governance subjects in Russia

The objective of the article consists in representation of a sociological portrait of the subject of management in a digital society. Based on the analysis of the texts of the Russian media and Russian-speaking social networks and in-depth interviews with the heads of media editorial offices, the authors obtained the following results. The phenomenon of media convergence is manifested in the need to take into account in the management process those phenomena and trends that radically change the life of society, in particular, integration between individuals and digital devices, which gradually blurs the border between reality and the virtual world leading to the need for the subjects of management to acquire new communication skills, work with information resources, understand digital threats and know how to protect against them. The influence of media convergence is manifested in the fact that Russian subjects of government, using various digital devices to enter the virtual space, do not indicate their personal data and can act in contradictory ways, acting in different social roles. Conclusions: the formation of digital society requires monitoring the formation of social digital institutions, the principles of integral collective intelligence and symbiotic intelligence, including value foundations, norms, culture of behavior and interaction, systems of statuses and roles. The subjects of management cannot apply the old formats of the command style of management and administrative pressure in the virtual space. Therefore, it is necessary to develop specialized communication formats in the process of implementing public administration.

How does a science teacher distinguish himself as a good professional? An inquiry into the aesthetics of taste for teaching

ABSTRACT This paper introduces the notion of taste for teaching a subject, especially science, as a conceptual framework to analyse the aesthetics of teacher development as a lifelong process. We draw on the work of Pierre Bourdieu and John Dewey in order to account for how teachers distinguish admirable practices and, in doing so, distinguish themselves as inspiring professionals. In order to illustrate this framework, we report a narrative inquiry on the life story of Tomas, a white man nationally prized for his science teaching. This inquiry was inspired by sociological portraits recommended by Bernard Lahire. Results indicate how a practical disposition (as opposed to a theoretical one) played an important role in developing Tomas’s individual taste for science teaching, producing a strong continuity between his early experiences as a masculine boy raised in a family of construction workers, on the one hand, and his later experiences as a biologist and a science teacher enacting inquiry-based activities. The significance of the findings for science education is discussed.

Top Ways To Improve Retail Marketing

This article discusses the development of marketing strategies for a retail enterprise begins at the earliest stage of enterprise creation. From the point of view of marketing, when choosing a location, it is necessary to assess the prestige of the area, its sociological portrait, purchasing power, as well as the presence of competing stores.

TRAJETÓRIAS E EXPERIÊNCIA DE ACESSO À PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO POR MEIO DE AÇÕES AFIRMATIVAS

Trata-se de discussões acerca das trajetórias de sujeitos negros e de meios populares que acessaram e concluíram Programas de Pós-Graduação Stricto Sensu (nível mestrado) com o auxílio de um programa de ações afirmativas na pós-graduação, o Programa Internacional de Bolsas da Fundação Ford. Utilizando-se os recursos da pesquisa qualitativa, por meio da entrevista narrativa episódica e da construção de retratos sociológicos foi possível conhecer e analisar as trajetórias escolares e de vida de cinco sujeito(a)s. Para a construção de trajetórias tão longas quanto improváveis, os sujeitos investigados foram desenvolvendo e reativando suas disposições em vários espaços e momentos, contando, além do próprio desejo, com a participação da escola, das famílias e dos movimentos sociais organizados, com destaque para o Movimento Negro.