Social mobility in the scientific discourse of social sciences

The article presents the analysis of scientific works of Russian and foreign authors devoted to the study of social mobility. The author demonstrates the various aspects of this social phenomenon allocated by scientists as research objects from the end of 19th century. The attention is drawn to the features of the three periods in the study of social shifts. The emphasis is made on the study of professional mobility. The author summarizes the results of scientific research which let presenting social and professional mobility in the form of complex social processes. The special attention is paid to the clarification of the contents of scientific definitions used to describe social shifts of individuals as well as to the determinants influencing the social movement of individuals in the professional sphere. Among the channels of social mobility, the education is highlighted as one of the most important ones.