Abstract: The object of this study is the social space and social institutions of late modernity, or, in Byung-Chol Han's terminology, the society of fatigue. The subject of the research is the transformation of the classical model of play into its own negation, into non-play as a symptom of a society of fatigue. A special place in the article is given to the theory of J. Huizinga, which proves to be an ideal indicator of the substitution of the essence of play for a substitute. Based on the analysis of Huizinga's ideas, an attempt is made to conceptually analyze the social space of play in the structures of late modernity, demonstrating the transition from the classical model of play to non-play, described as a space of control and a means of generating boredom. The author of the article examines in detail the six key characteristics of play formulated by J. Huizinga, analyzing the causes and forms of their denial by non-play. The research methodology is based on critical theory, which presupposes a search for the deconstruction of forms of exploitative domination and an analysis of the mechanics of their emergence and transformation. The image of society is formed on the basis of research in the social theory of Byung-Chol Han. The study relies heavily on observation of specific social phenomena. The novelty of the study stems from the fact that the author, drawing on Huizinga's model of play, compares its fundamental components with the characteristics of what play has become in modern times, in a context of the triumph of boredom and the demise of narratives—that is, the semblance of play or non-play. This comparison makes it possible to describe the phenomenon of non-play, which has emerged within the social structures of a society of fatigue as an immanent structural phenomenon. Non-play, as a denial of free and creative action, is primarily a space for monotonous repetition and the self-affirmation of a weak, narcissistic subject incapable of effort and genuine risk. It is suggested that non-play within the structures of a society of fatigue performs the functions of control, exploitation, and the formation of behavior oriented toward consumption.

Keywords: game, non-game, Homo Ludens, game behavior, fatigue society, boredom, J. Huizinga, game studies, Byung-Chul Han, game transformation

Abstract: The article presents the results of a sociological study conducted in 2026, focusing on the career strategies of students from the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation (hereafter referred to as the Financial University) in the labor market. The empirical object of the study consisted of undergraduate students from the Financial University across various fields of study. The theoretical foundation of the research was based on P. Bourdieu's theory of capitals, which allowed for the analysis of the relationships between habitus, field, and types of capital in the context of students' career strategies. The authors pay particular attention to the career goals set by modern students and the actions taken to achieve them. The analysis of career strategies was conducted considering current trends in the labor market and changes occurring in the field of education. The empirical base of the research was formed by the results of a questionnaire survey of students from the Financial University (376 students were surveyed, including those studying in bachelor's programs (1st–4th years)), as well as materials from 15 in-depth interviews with 3rd–4th year students. The main conclusions of the conducted research are: the core of students' professional strategies is the values of material wealth; the habitus of the modern student is shaped by family influences, social experiences, and the labor market, which prioritizes income; students focused on income miss opportunities to accumulate cultural and social capital with long-term benefits. A significant contribution of the authors to the development of the topic is the investigation of the relationship between habitus, field, and types of capital among the Financial University students, which revealed a shift of priorities from formal education to the development of skills demanded in the labor market. The authors also identified a trend of reproducing social inequality through the choice of short-term economic gains at the expense of long-term investments in capital.

Keywords: career, strategies, students, labor market, habitus, field, capital, education, values, income

Abstract: The subject of the research is the capabilities and structural limits of the cross-cultural typological approach in analyzing multicultural business communication. The intensification of international business contacts and the reorientation of Russian business towards partners from non-Western cultures make the analysis of cross-cultural interaction practically essential, while typological models of cultural differences (E. Hall, G. Hofstede, F. Trompenaars, the GLOBE project, E. Meyer) remain the primary language for its description. The paper examines four operational limits of this approach—national aggregation, static nature, descriptive modality, and invisibility of the hybrid effect. The aim of the work is to systematize these limits and reveal their common logical nature as a consequence of a unified orientation of the tool towards profiling differences rather than towards the process of their coordination. The work represents a theoretical and analytical study: systematization of literature, critical reconstruction of typological models, and their comparison with applied studies of international negotiations and the domestic school of cross-cultural studies. Four operational limits of the typological approach are identified—national aggregation, static nature, descriptive modality, and invisibility of the hybrid effect; it is shown that they are manifestations of a single structural limitation defined by the type of tool. The limits are heterogeneous in epistemological status: two allow for partial compensation through the means of the approach itself, while the other two mark the gap between descriptive and procedural modalities of analysis. The scientific novelty lies in reducing disparate specific limitations of typologies to a single structural source, systematizing them as structural limitations of the tool, demonstrating their heterogeneous epistemological status, and posing an independent task based on this—conceptualizing the process of coordinating criteria in multicultural business communication. It is shown that the absence of a developed apparatus for describing such a process is a matter of underdevelopment rather than a principle impossibility, setting the direction for further research—moving from profiling differences to analyzing the mechanisms of their coordination.

Keywords: cross-cultural typologies, business communication, international negotiations, multicultural environment, sociology of culture, intercultural interaction, operational limits, descriptive modality, hybrid effect, criteria coordination

Abstract: The article explores the practices of fathers' associations in the Russian Federation as subjects of civic activism in the field of child protection and the prevention of destructive behavior among the younger generation. In the context of the transformation of the institution of fatherhood and the active involvement of fathers in child care, communities of active fathers are playing an increasingly important role by implementing a number of socially significant initiatives, particularly in the area of child protection. The aim of the study is to understand the experiences of fathers' communities in preventing threats to the physical, psychological, and social well-being of minors. The theoretical and practical significance of the research lies in the conceptualization of the role of fathers' associations as a specific subject of child protection, presenting relevant empirical data on the activities of communities, their results, and social effects. The empirical base was formed within a mixed research strategy: at the first stage, an analysis of official sources of fathers' communities was conducted, and the main directions and formats of their activities were systematized; at the second stage, field research was implemented in the format of 12 focus groups (involving activist fathers and adolescents aged 14–17 who participated in community projects). The author concludes that public activism of fathers in Russia has transformed from spontaneous private initiatives into a full-fledged ecosystem of engaged fatherhood, represented by an extensive network of fathers' associations. Key areas of activity in this field include ensuring safety on roads, in water bodies, in everyday life, in the digital environment, monitoring the quality of children's nutrition, preventing smoking and substance abuse, countering bullying and destructive content, as well as preventing minors from engaging in illegal activities. The formats for achieving these goals include organizing parent patrols and monitoring raids, conducting educational lectures, workshops, round tables, creating social advertising and methodological materials, joint activities with children, and participating in legislative initiatives. Studying subjective perceptions revealed that this activity catalyzes the transformation of fatherhood identity towards greater involvement in problems and child-rearing processes, contributes to an increase in social capital, strengthens intra-family ties, and enhances the educative potential of fathers. Adolescents evaluate the events organized by fathers' communities as a trustworthy alternative to formal school prevention, noting the practical applicability of the skills acquired.

Keywords: involved fatherhood, communities of fathers, fatherly activism, child safety, child protection, prevention of destructive phenomena, child-parent relations, socialization of children, social well-being, family policy