Education in the Structure of Status Inconsistency of the Modern Russian Society

Abstract

The results of an intercountry project “European Social Research” are analyzed. The economic, power, qualification and related to social and professional hierarchies are considered among the basic status dimensions. The indicators of the individual's position in the qualification hierarchy are the level of education and the number of years spent on training. Status inconsistency is understood as a discrepancy between a high position of an individual in one hierarchy and a relatively low position in another. There is a certain lack of information characterizing the place of education in the structure of the status inconsistency of modern Russian society. Particular attention is paid to the consideration of non-compliance between the professional position in the labor market and the educational status of Russians. It was revealed that in Russia, in comparison with Europe, the population of the considered social and professional groups by respondents with a high level of education is higher. It is concluded that a high position in the educational hierarchy is to a significant extent a condition for getting into the professional strata of managers and professionals, however, having a high level of education does not guarantee employment in highly qualified work. It is noted that in Russian society there is a widespread inconsistency in the positions of individuals in the qualification and economic, power, socio-professional hierarchies. It is stated that in comparison with most European countries in Russia, an inconsistency of educational and economic status is more pronounced. The author made a conclusion of the connection of status inconsistency with socio-economic transformations of Russian society, permanent changes in the labor market and the national educational system. The author believes that the discrepancy between the educational status of Russians and income, power, and membership in a social and professional group indicates the “blurring” of social segments of modern Russian society, and allows one to characterize its social structure as relatively unstable.