The analysis proceeds from the fact that the social contract is independent scientific and social phenomenon that embodies various forms of social concord (social contract) between the people and the state, given that they are not only open, but also latent, reflecting the deep processes taking place in the public mind. Based on the criteria inherent in the social contract the article characterizes the goals, means of achieving them, the effectiveness of feedback and participation of the people in managing the affairs of society and state. It gives an analysis of the process of its formation and functioning in modern Russian society. Special consideration is also given to worldview attitudes and values focused on the role of labor and education in the life of society and state. It is noted that the social contract can be compared with social glue, which manifests itself through the conscious participation of the people in social development, which indicates the degree of its effectiveness and efficiency in the state preserving and strengthening.

The article is about an evolution in the ideas of the social contract in such works by M.A. Bakunin, as “Confession” (1851), “Federalism, Socialism and Antitheologism” (1867), “Statehood and Anarchy” (1873). Based on primary sources, the author shows the intellectual evolution of the thinker from criticism of the idea of social contract to the idea of federalism. Bakunin considered the weak point of the theory of social contract to be the replacement of the concept of “society” with the concept of “state”, while the state not only puts itself above society, but also tries to absorb it. He highlighted those features of the state that do not allow concluding a social contract with it; the denial of the individual freedom; pressure on the free will of the individual by collective power; distortion of the natural relationship between good and evil; replacing religious morality with secular (atheistic) morality. The idea of a social contract by M.A. Bakunin contrasts the idea of federalism. The thinker’s views about the concept of “federalism” also changed: if until the mid-1860s. it was a form of state arrangement (“Slavic” or “European” federation), then by the end of the 1860s the concept of “federation” acquired the meaning of an alternative way of social organization, freed from power of any kind. Ultimately, he came to the conclusion of free organization, an ascending hierarchy representing a set of alliances for creating a universal world.

Based on available statistical data, the key characteristics of the medical personnel of the Moscow area – both Moscow and the Moscow region – are described. The analysis of the labor market in the healthcare sector of the Moscow area is carried out through the prism of “forms of ownership of a medical institution” (public and private) and “type of medical institution” (outpatient and hospital). Based on the data of content analysis of job advertisements posted by employers on the hh.ru resource, the authors reveal requirements that are announced to doctors by employers and the conditions offered to potential employees in public and private medical institutions. Private clinics focus on more comfortable working conditions, additional benefits and guarantees, career opportunities, however, the requirements that they present to doctors are much higher than at public medical institutions. That, in turn, allows a private employer to be in a more advantageous position in the labor market, competitive in the fight for highly qualified medical workers. Employers in the healthcare sector react very quickly to the changes taking place, trying to be adaptive and to reduce all kinds of risks, both for doctors and for patients. According to that, employers influence changes in the labor market: they declare new requirements for doctors and offer special working conditions.

The article presents the specifics and trends in the life activities of workers in different sectors of the social sphere as a sort of unified whole, which distinguishes the presented research from other studies that reflect the specifics of the state of affairs in any single sector of the social sphere. The stages of transformation of the social sphere are identified, taking into account various factors (political, economic, legal processes, sanctions of unfriendly countries, etc.). The author shows and justifies new forms of participation of citizens in the formation and receipt of social services (non-declaration system, etc.). The publication is based on sociological research at various levels, as well as current articles in the media, which made it possible to reveal the real state and features of the functioning of the social sphere, and to present the specifics of the socio-professional structure.

The article considers one of the significant social categories affecting the stability of the army, which consists in the social well-being of military personnel. Based on the analysis of scientific works that deal with the study of the social well-being of individuals, social groups, communities, as well as the specifics of the military personnel life as a separate category of citizens with a professional orientation combined with a lifestyle, a set of special indicators was formed. Such an approach makes it possible to monitor social well-being in various military units in order to make timely management decisions to ensure decent living conditions for military personnel, adequate to modern conditions in the country and the world, contributing to the motivation of all subjects of the Russian army to the quality performance of official tasks to ensure the stability of the state.

Today, the macroeconomic situation of Russia is formed taking into account economic and geopolitical challenges, globalization, the influence of scientific and technological progress and digitalization, comprehensive changes in market conditions, where the main quality indicators of the social environment of the population are such important indicators as employment and unemployment, instantly reacting to any transformations in the socioeconomic development of the country, thereby raising the current questions of the demand for labor and professional future for the population. On the one hand, it underlines the urgent need to find proposals and new ways to solve the issues of vocational training and retraining of the able-bodied population, especially young people, which will fully meet the needs of the modern labor market, high employment, effective disclosure of the personal potential of each individual. On the other hand, it allows the younger generation to take an active part in the development of scientific, financial, socio-economic activities of Russia, to see their place in the labor market today, thereby forming a keen interest in choosing their profession and obtaining professional skills.

The article analyzes the state of career guidance work in universities that provide training in engineering specialties. A sample of 24 Russian universities was formed and then, based on the analysis of the websites of those universities, three groups of universities were formed: universities with poor, average and high levels of career guidance. It turned out that half of the universities have a poor and average level of career guidance in the sample, half of the universities have a high level of work with applicants and schoolchildren and carry out not only informing about the specialties of the university, but also form an interest in engineering. These universities, along with traditional methods of career guidance, develop and implement innovative forms of work with schoolchildren (quantoriums and houses of scientific collaboration). Universities with a high level of career guidance are transformed into educational agglomerates of continuing education (school – college – university). The paper explained the reasons for the lack of a large range of career guidance work in half of engineering universities. It is a lack of funding and a personnel issue. Ways of solving issues are proposed.

The article analyzes the situation in agricultural universities career guidance work. 14 universities selected to that end. Based on content analysis of university websites, counting the number of keyword mentions in the media and studying scientific literature, it was revealed that universities spend a lot of effort to attract applicants. The following career guidance events are held: university open days, profile lectures, master classes, quests and competitions. Universities participate in the speciality fairs, organize excursions and exhibitions, conduct courses for applicants, cooperate with the media and are blogging on social networks.

Advanced universities create specialized agricultural classes in schools; university professors supervise schoolchildren’s scientific projects. Championships and contests are organized, for example, “Junnat”, “VetSkills”, etc., as well as regional stages of the All-Russian Olympiad for schoolchildren in profile subjects, thematic educational intensives for schoolchildren.

But as a result, the personnel issues of the agriculture enterprises are not solved: many graduates do not work in their speciality. In order to retain specialists in rural areas, it is necessary to develop the social infrastructure in rural areas (schools, hospitals, clubs) and to make efforts to restore the prestige of agriculture as a whole.

The article describes the strategies that young people use when they choose an educational institution to receive higher professional education: a strategy that takes into account the prestige of the university; a strategy based on recommendations from the nearest environment and a strategy for randomly selecting a university.

Based on the results of the annual monitoring “Students of Russia: civic culture and life strategies” conducted by the Center for Political Science of the ISPR FSRC RAS, statistically significant value determinants were identified that influence the adherence of modern Russian students to each of the described strategies. The characteristics of the value profile of each group of students are given in accordance with their chosen strategy.

In recent years, the number of studies performed completely within the bounds of the qualitative paradigm of sociology has noticeably increased. The number of publications in which data obtained using qualitative methods are complementary to, and illustrate, quantitative results has also increased. The article shows the risks faced by a sociologist who superficially perceives the general thesis about the compatibility and complementarity of quantitative and qualitative methods. The issue of the mixed methods research is discussed. The article describes frequently encountered “bottlenecks” and errors in publications. It is shown that large resource capabilities of qualitative data provide additional opportunities for substantiation and interpretation of the results of specific studies only if certain methodological requirements and conditions are met.

In the current political situation, the role of political culture as an important factor in the process of forming a common civic identity is growing. Maintaining the necessary stability in society and keeping its integrity depends on it. The article deals with studying such aspects of political culture that are related to the formation of a common civil identity of Russians. In recent years, there have been some changes in the priorities of the political culture of Russians, whose consciousness and life are being seriously tested, increasing the risks of instability. On the one hand, it forces a fresh look at the issue of their relations with the state. It is expected to take such actions that help managing the situation in important areas of life, solve economic, political, social and other important issues. On the other hand, those changes require from sociologists the intensification of theoretical and practical research of changes in political culture in line with the process of forming a common civic identity. The article is dedicated to that goal. The material presented in it continues the author’s study of modern trends in Russian political culture in the context of the current situation. The methods used in the study include, among other things, a secondary analysis of the survey data from some sociological centers, such as Russian Public Opinion Research Center, etc.

The article deals with the issue of social structure of modern Russian society in the perceptions of young people. It is suggested that a clear idea of the categories of higher, middle and lower strata, trust in the possibility to climb up the social ladder by legitimate means, to receive deserved rewards for their efforts – create a positive attitude to career advancement, confidence in their future, the idea of fairness of the established orders in society. Disorientation in the socio-structural space and denial of its legitimacy lead to the replacement of social mobility with escapism and the desire to emigrate. The comparative analysis of the two stages results of the survey showed that young people in Russia are disoriented in its socio-structural space. The idea of only the middle class is ingrained in the minds of respondents, but it does not have clear signs and criteria of belonging. Young people do not see legal ways to move up, they call the existing social order unfair, and their desire to move up the social ladder is replaced by the desire to leave or emigrate. The respondents are characterized by the state of anomie – apathy, alienation.

The paper deals with the issues of multidimensionality of the dialectics of cultural heritage and modern cultural processes. An attempt is made to study how cultural heritage affects the self-realization of an ethnic group, how cultural heritage can become a regulator of issues of interethnic interaction, peace and harmony. Interethnic interaction is the most important direction in the issue of dialectics of modern cultural processes and cultural heritage. The dialectics of cultural heritage and cultural processes is considered in several aspects. The reason is the multidirectionality of historical and socio-cultural processes, the state of today’s national culture and the impact of state policy on the modern socio-cultural context. The dialectical method of studying social phenomena makes it possible to understand the patterns in development of the modern contradictory processes and trends. The study includes aspects of the dialectics of cultural heritage and modern cultural processes related to and most affecting interethnic interaction.

The authors carried out a study of the mechanisms of “social inclusion” of women – political career as an integral phenomenon of public life, a key marker of equal chances of political participation, the movement of society to achieve gender equality in society. Women in politics continue to be underrepresented, so conducting a comprehensive and comparative analysis is relevant and in demand. A comparative method is used to assess the opportunities for women’s political careers in Russia and Germany. Such an approach made it possible, using comparable statistical and sociological information, to solve the issue of determining the national specifics of the socio-cultural space for each country that affects the career trajectories of women in politics. The social and legal foundations of building a political career in the mentioned countries are presented as important factors of an institutional nature. It is noted that international documents have significantly influenced the policy of countries in matters of gender equality and contributed to progress in the status of women in society, while there are fundamental distinctions in the legislative acts of Russia and Germany. Biographies of certain modern women politicians and their career path are analyzed according to the following parameters: involvement in the ruling elite; level of education; experience in politics; balance between family life and work; the performance of job duties, which allowed to confirm and concretize the main conclusions of the study.