History of the Foundation and Development of the Faculty of Sociology at Russian State University for the Humanities (Dedicated to the Anniversary of Zhan T. Toshchenko)

The article is devoted to the 90th anniversary of the Corresponding Member of the RAS, Doctor of Philosophy, Professor ZhanT.Toshchenko. The authors highlight his efforts for the creation and development of the Faculty of Sociology at Russian State University for the Humanities (RSUH). Historically, the process of forming the Faculty included both the foundation of the university-wide Department of Sociology and the work of the Division of Sociology as part of the Faculty of Philosophy. To date, the Faculty of Sociology has the following departments: Department of Theory and History of Sociology (profile “Digital Sociology and Social Diagnostics” for undergraduate students and “Digital Sociology and Social Analytics” for master’s students), Department of Applied Sociology (profile “Sociology of Marketing” for undergraduate students), Department of Political Sociology and Social Technologies (profile “Social, Political and Management Technologies” for undergraduate students). Graduates of bachelor’s and master’s degree programs can improve their qualifications within the framework of postgraduate studies in order to defend their candidate’s theses in sociology in the Dissertation Council 24.2.366.04. In terms of continuing their professional development, there is an opportunity to defend a doctoral dissertation or join the ranks of the faculty.RSUH has developed its own model of sociological education. This allows to prepare a universal professional sociologist capable of not only independent judgments and critical thinking, but also of “mastering the craft” of organizing and conducting sociological research. Graduates of the Faculty are successfully employed both in research institutes and in sociological centers that are engaged in applied work. The article shows the process of formation of ZhanT.Toshchenko’s school of thought and reveals the peculiarities of the organization of professional educational and academic activities at the Faculty. The concept of the Faculty of Sociology is based on the paradigm of the sociology of life developed by ZhanT.Toshchenko. It includes a combination of theory and empiricism in teaching disciplines, as well as taking into account the real needs of the labor market; a special personnel selection to hire employees who have a knack for both research and educational work.The success in the development of the Faculty of Sociology at RSUH is a worthy result of the long-term fruitful activities of ZhanT.Toshchenko and the research and educational team that he have built up among like-minded people.

Zhan T. Toshchenko, RSUH, Faculty of Sociology, training of sociologists