Integrity, Structurality and Functionality of Everyday Practices of Scientific Mentoring as a Subject of Micro-sociological Analysis

Abstract

Scientific mentoring at universities can be viewed not only as a scientific and educational institution, but also as a sphere and method of face-to-face interaction, in the process of which the meanings and motivation of the mentor’s and mentee’s research activities are born. Such an approach towards studying scientific mentoring is justified by sociological concepts of everyday life, but their key provisions require adaptation to the problems of scientific mentoring. The idea of science as the everyday life world of university researchers is revealed through a micro-sociological perspective. The interaction of a scientific mentor and a mentee student is interpreted as an element of their life world and is examined through this interaction manifesting in everyday academic activities. The purpose of the article is to examine the integrity, structure (routine actions, the objective world, language, space and time, rituals, signs and symbols, informal traditions) and functionality of everyday practices of scientific mentoring through the prism of sociological concepts of everyday life. A thesis is substantiated that everyday practices of interaction between a scientific mentor and mentee are a way of building and intergenerational translation of the meaning of research work and choice of academic profession.

Keywords

• scientific mentoring
• scientific mentors
• mentees
• everyday life
• everyday mentoring practices
• academic community
• universities