New knowledge in the study of the Russian precariat (review of the book: The lifeworld of workers: sustainability versus precarity / ed. by Zh. T. Toshchenko. M.: Ves’ mir Publ., 2024. 462 p.)
Review
How to Cite
Kozin S.V., Zhidyaeva T.P. New knowledge in the study of the Russian precariat (review of the book: The lifeworld of workers: sustainability versus precarity / ed. by Zh. T. Toshchenko. M.: Ves’ mir Publ., 2024. 462 p.). Science. Culture. Society. 2025. Vol. 31. No. 1. P. 85-93. DOI: https://doi.org/10.19181/nko.2025.31.1.7 (in Russ.).
Abstract
The review highlights the key ideas and provisions of the collective monograph “The life world of workers: sustainability versus precarity” published in 2024 and edited by corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences J. T. Toshchenko (Moscow: Ves’ Mir Publ., 2024. 462 p.). The monograph completes the series of publications devoted to precarisation, a special aspect of labour in modern society, characterised by instability of professional employment of large groups of the population. In today's society, where the boundaries between work and private life are increasingly “blurred”, the concepts of “sustainability” and “precarity” are becoming central to understanding the life world of employees. Sustainability implies stable employment, clear career prospects and social protection; it creates confidence and promotes the development of talents, professional skills and personal identity. Precarity, on the other hand, reflects uncertainty and instability. Workers trapped in temporary contracts, freelance projects and/or underemployment are exposed to stress, which has a negative impact on their mental and physical health, which creates not only economic vulnerability, but also social isolation, significantly reducing the quality of life. In this monograph, the team of authors attempts to provide a comprehensive coverage of this phenomenon. The reviewers highlight the structure of the monograph, consider its basic concept of “lifeworld” and its evolutionary development in the depths of historical sociological and philosophical thought. In addition, a brief analysis of transformational changes in employment in Russia and abroad, as well as in the education system is given. The reviewers believe that this collective monograph will be of interest not only to representatives of teaching and research staff, but will also be of interest to doctoral students, postgraduates, specialists and students, managers who study social problems of employment.
Keywords:
precarization of labor, precariat, life world, vocational education, employment transformation
References
1. Anisimov R. I., Bulanova M. B., Vorobyeva I. V. [et al.]. The life world of workers: sustainability versus precarity. Moscow: Ves’ Mir; 2024. (In Russ.). ISBN 978-5-7777-0938-7.
2. Toshchenko Zh. T. Precariat: from proto-class to a new class. Moscow: Nauka; 2018. (In Russ.). ISBN 978-5-02-040118-1.
3. Toshchenko Zh. T., Anisimov R. I., Kuchenkova A. V. [et al.]. The precariat: the formation of a new class (the experience of sociological analysis). Moscow: Center for social forecasting and Marketing; 2020. (In Russ.). ISBN 978-5-906001-76-4.
4. Anisimov R. I., Belova N. I., Bulanova M. B. [et al.]. Precarious employment: origins, criteria, features. Moscow: Ves’ Mir; 2021. (In Russ.). ISBN 978-5-7777-0852-6.
5. Anisimov R. I., Belova N. I., Bulanova M. B. [et al.]. From precarious employment to precarization of life. Moscow: Ves’ Mir; 2022. (In Russ.). ISBN 978-5-7777-0886-1.
6. Bosmans K. Precarious employment, precarious life? A qualitative study exploring the perspective of temporary agency workers and their households. Work. 2023;75(1):113–127. DOI 10.3233/wor-220095.
7. Shah D., Meiklejohn A., Spencer N., Lawrence S. Precariat women’s experiences to undertake an entrepreneurial training program. Journal of Business Research. 2024;178:114671. DOI 10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.114671.
8. Burton S., Bowman B. The academic precariat: understanding life and labour in the neoliberal academy. British Journal of Sociology of Education. 2022;43(4):497–512. DOI 10.1080/01425692.2022.2076387.
9. Vu A. N., Nguyen D. L. The gig economy: The precariat in a climate precarious world. World Development Perspectives. 2024;34:100596. DOI 10.1016/j.wdp.2024.100596.
10. Almeida R. K., Paz L. S., Poole J. P. Precarization or protection? the role of trade and labour policies on informality. Journal of Development Studies. 2022;58(7):1416–1435. DOI 10.1080/00220388.2022.2061850.
2. Toshchenko Zh. T. Precariat: from proto-class to a new class. Moscow: Nauka; 2018. (In Russ.). ISBN 978-5-02-040118-1.
3. Toshchenko Zh. T., Anisimov R. I., Kuchenkova A. V. [et al.]. The precariat: the formation of a new class (the experience of sociological analysis). Moscow: Center for social forecasting and Marketing; 2020. (In Russ.). ISBN 978-5-906001-76-4.
4. Anisimov R. I., Belova N. I., Bulanova M. B. [et al.]. Precarious employment: origins, criteria, features. Moscow: Ves’ Mir; 2021. (In Russ.). ISBN 978-5-7777-0852-6.
5. Anisimov R. I., Belova N. I., Bulanova M. B. [et al.]. From precarious employment to precarization of life. Moscow: Ves’ Mir; 2022. (In Russ.). ISBN 978-5-7777-0886-1.
6. Bosmans K. Precarious employment, precarious life? A qualitative study exploring the perspective of temporary agency workers and their households. Work. 2023;75(1):113–127. DOI 10.3233/wor-220095.
7. Shah D., Meiklejohn A., Spencer N., Lawrence S. Precariat women’s experiences to undertake an entrepreneurial training program. Journal of Business Research. 2024;178:114671. DOI 10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.114671.
8. Burton S., Bowman B. The academic precariat: understanding life and labour in the neoliberal academy. British Journal of Sociology of Education. 2022;43(4):497–512. DOI 10.1080/01425692.2022.2076387.
9. Vu A. N., Nguyen D. L. The gig economy: The precariat in a climate precarious world. World Development Perspectives. 2024;34:100596. DOI 10.1016/j.wdp.2024.100596.
10. Almeida R. K., Paz L. S., Poole J. P. Precarization or protection? the role of trade and labour policies on informality. Journal of Development Studies. 2022;58(7):1416–1435. DOI 10.1080/00220388.2022.2061850.
Article
Received: 06.02.2025
Accepted: 28.03.2025
Citation Formats
Other cite formats:
APA
Kozin, S. V., & Zhidyaeva, T. P. (2025). New knowledge in the study of the Russian precariat (review of the book: The lifeworld of workers: sustainability versus precarity / ed. by Zh. T. Toshchenko. M.: Ves’ mir Publ., 2024. 462 p.). Science. Culture. Society, 31(1), 85-93. https://doi.org/10.19181/nko.2025.31.1.7
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