Values and norms of the sociological profession on the websites of faculties and departments

The article analyzes welcoming addresses to applicants and students interested in sociology, sourced from the websites of 111 Russian higher education institutions. We consider these addresses to be a representational fragment of the professional discourse of academic sociology. As an empiric base for our study, we have used the websites of Russian higher education institutions, listed in the publicly accessible catalog on the Russian Education (www.edu.ru) federal portal. The portal data has allowed us to subject sociology admissions in 2009 to a qualitative evaluation, as well as collect information on higher education institutions and departments of sociology elsewhere. We have analyzed how the faculty sees the mission of sociology as a theoretical discipline and as a job field, as well as the professional values and norms of sociology, and the areas where an education in sociology may be applied. We have singled out the values that are typical of the professional community of sociologists, both oriented at a mass audience and otherwise. Our study allows us to gain an understanding of the value set in academic sociology, which presents a major segment of the professional community. Education discourse that is aimed at a mass audience offers applicants and students a set of career goals that imply branching out from their chosen field. The effort and sacrifice that such branching-out requires, however, is almost always glossed over. For example, the study process is presented as having fun and enjoying the company of happy peers. Another feature of mass-oriented discourse is that is does not inform the applicants of the norms that will be governing their work as professionals. Discourse that is not oriented at mass audiences does formulate a list of values and restrictive norms, sometimes as a whole rulebook for a future professional sociologist. These values include being responsible and invested in searching for the truth and obtaining valid and objective research results, as well as being honest, fair, and unbiased. Applicants are shown some conflict models, which set examples of open criticism and civic courage. Non-mass-oriented discourse is characterized by a heightened sense of sociology’s importance for society and by taking pride in becoming a sociologist. Such discourse is, without a doubt, a far more efficient way of helping new students adapt and embrace the identity of a sociologist.

higher education, sociological education, professional values, professional ethics, professional community, socialization, youth, discourse-analysis, hidden curiculum.

1. Kostyukhina M. S. Uchebniki dlya vzroslykh: mir v k rtinkakh. Uchebnyy tekst v sovetskoy shkole [Textbooks for adults: the world in pictures. Educational text in the Soviet school]. Digest of articles. Compiled by S. G. Leont’yeva, K. A. Maslinskiy. Saint Petersburg; Moscow, Institut logiki, kognitologii i razvitiiya lichnosti, 2008, pp. 180–215 (in Russ.).

2. Gudkov L. D., Dubin B. V., Leonova A. S. Obrazovaniye v Rossii: privlekatel’nost’, dostupnost’, funktsii [Education in Russia: attractiveness, accessibility, functions]. Vestnik obshchestvennogo mneniya: Dannyye. Analiz. Diskussii, 2004, no 1 (69), pp. 35–55 (in Russ.).

3. Osadchaya G. I. Zametki o sotsiologicheskom obrazovanii v Rossii: refleksiya novykh trebovaniy obshchestva [Notes on sociological education in Russia: Reflection on new requirements of society]. Sotsiologicheskiye issledovaniya, 2009, no 2, p. 102 (in Russ.).

4. Bulanova M. B. Sotsiologicheskoye obrazovaniye v Rossii (1960-e gg. − nastoyashcheye vremya) [Sociological education in Russia (1960s - present)]. Sotsiologicheskiye issledovaniya, 2008, no 12, pp. 14−24 (in Russ.).

5. Obrazovaniye v Rossii – 2008. Statisticheskiy byulleten’ [Education in Russia − 2008. Statistical Bulletin]. Moscow, MGUPI, 2009 (in Russ.).

6. Rodovaya travma rossiyskoy sotsiologii. Interv’yu s Voronkovym V. M. / Interv’yu provela Demina N. V. [Birth trauma of Russian sociology. Interview with Voronkov V. M. The interview was conducted by N. Demina]. Polit.ru. 08.05.2007 [online] URL: http://www.polit.ru/science/2007/05/08/voronkov.html [date of visit: 27.09.2010] (in Russ.).

7. Konstantinovskiy D. L., Ovsyannikov A. A., Pokrovskiy N. E. Tendentsii razvitiya sotsiologii i sotsiologicheskogo obrazovaniya v Rossii [Trends in the development of sociology and sociological education in Russia]. Mir Rossii, 2005, no 1, pp. 89–119 (in Russ.).

8. Greenwood E. Attributes of a profession. Social Work, 1957, vol. 2, pp. 45–55.

9. Propp V. Ya. Morfologiya volshebnoy skazki [Morphology of a fairy tale]. Compiler, scientific editor, text comments I. V. Peshkova. Moscow, Labirint, 2005 (in Russ.).

10. Goode W. J. Community within a community: the professions. American Sociological Review, 1957, Vol. XXII, pp. 194–200.

11. Merton R. K. Social structure and anomie. American Sociological Review, 1938, vol. 3, no 5, pp. 672–682.

12. Kh’yell L., Zigler D. Teorii lichnosti. Osnovnyye polozheniya, issledovaniya i primeneniye [Theories of personality. Basic provisions, research and application]. Transl. by S. Melenevskaya and D. Viktorova. Saint Petersburg, Piter Press, 1997 (in Russ.).

13. Kuz’minov Ya. I. Kapitalizatsiya lichnosti. Sostoyaniye i perspektiva rossiyskikh universitetov [Capitalization of the individual. The state and perspective of Russian universities]. Permskiy ekonomicheskiy forum. 2010. URL: http://www.hse.ru/video/23462222.html [date of visit: 24.10.2010] (in Russ.).

14. Veber M. Nauka kak prizvaniye i professiya [Science as a vocation and profession]. Veber M. Izbrannyye proizvedeniya. Moscow, Progress, 1990, pp. 707–735 (in Russ.).

15. Magun V. S. Rudnev M. G. Zhiznennyye tsennosti rossiyskogo naseleniya: skhodstva i otlichiya v sravnenii s drugimi evropeyskimi stranami [Values of the Russian population: similarities and differences in comparison with other European countries]. Vestnik obshchestvennogo mneniya, 2008, no 1 (93), pp. 33–58 (in Russ.).

16. Petrenko E. S., Galitskaya E. G., Shmerlina I. A. Tsennost’ vysshego obrazovaniya. Mneniya predstaviteley semey, v kotorykh est’ deti, o vazhnosti vysshego obrazovaniya. Opros fonda «Obshchestvennoye mneniye» [The value of higher education. Opinions of representatives of families with children on the importance of higher education. The poll of the Public Opinion Foundation]. Voprosy obrazovaniya, 2010, no 2, pp. 187–237 (in Russ.).

17. Pautova L. A. Professiya v voprosakh i otvetakh: Sotsiologiya [Profession in questions and answers: Sociology]. Portal «Ekonomika. Sotsiologiya. Menedzhment». 2010. URL: http://www.ecsocman.edu.ru/text/33309477.html [date of visit: 13.10.2010].

18. Batygin G. S. Tri tipa sotsiologicheskogo diskursa: istoricheskiy ocherk [Three types of sociological discourse: a historical essay]. Zhurnal issledovaniy sotsial’noy politiki, 2003, vol. 1, no 2, pp. 245−263 (in Russ.).

19. Magun V. S., Engovatov M. V. Dinamika prityazaniy i izmeneniye resursnykh strategiy molodezhi (1985‑2005 gody) [Dynamics of claims and changes in youth resource strategies (1985−2005)]. Otechestvennyye zapiski, 2006, no 3, p. 76–96 (in Russ.).

20. Levada Yu. A. «Chelovek ogranichennyy»: urovni i ramki prityazaniy ["Bounded person": levels and scope of claims]. Monitoring obshchestvennogo mneniya: ekonomicheskiye i sotsial’nyye peremeny, 2000, no 4 (in Russ.).

21. Okol’skaya L. A., Komogortseva M. V. Zhiznennyye proyekty i pravila dlya devushek v rossiyskikh glyantsevykh zhurnalakh [Life projects and rules for girls in Russian glossy magazines]. Sotsiologicheskiy zhurnal, 2010, no 2, pp. 68–91 (in Russ.).

22. Batygin G. S., Devyatko I. F. Sotsiologiya i vlast’: epizody sovetskoy istorii [Sociology and power: episodes of Soviet history]. Totalitarizm i posttotalitarizm (Stat’i i podgotovitel’nyye materialy). Kn. 2. Moscow, IS RAN, 1994, pp. 174–201 (in Russ.).

23. Koster Sh. de. Legenda ob Ulenshpigele [The legend of Eulenspiegel]. Moscow, Pravda, 1983 (in Russ.).

24. Veblen T. Teoriya prazdnogo klassa [Theory of an idle class]. Moscow, Progress, 1984. Chapter XIV (in Russ.).