Reflection of representatives of professional dynasties: about family succession, advantages and disadvantages of belonging to a dynasty

Based on the results of an empirical study conducted by the method of autobiographical narrative interview, the paper presents the main characteristics of the modern professional dynasty in terms of self-reflection of its representatives. The main sociological indicators are: the semantic interpretation of the professional dynasty by individuals directly included in this social institution; factors that determine self-identification with a professional dynasty, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of belonging to a professional dynasty in modern institutional conditions of the labor market and education and the interactions that have developed in them. The authors conclude that: firstly, the key content characteristics of the concept of “professional dynasty” for hereditary professionals are such categories as “succession”, “sequence”, “family traditions” and “continuity of the profession”; secondly, the degree of identification with the dynasty for them has a wide range from the proud recognition of themselves as the successor of the dynasty to the denial of professional continuity; thirdly, informants see the advantages of involvement in professional dynasty in additional educational and professional resources, and associate disadvantages with both a biased attitude on the part of society and internal restrictions that are created in the family.