[Rev.] Sotsiologiya Obrazovaniya: Uchebnik i Praktikum dlya Vuzov. [Sociology of Education: Textbook and Workbook for Universities.] Ed. by A.M. Osipov. Moscow: Yurayt publ., 2020

This article presents a review of a textbook for universities which reflects classic and relevant knowledge about education — the basic social institution of the global world. The theoretical foundations for branch science, its history, subject matter and functions have been outlined in the textbook. This review details the specifics of the authors’ approach towards presenting the social knowledge about education development stages, while presenting a variety of theoretical directions and models in their dynamics — from their genesis and to the present day. The originality of the textbook is reflected not only in the research ideas, but also in the civic position of the authors, in them identifying the problems of international competition between education systems, as well as the most acute issues inherent to Russian education. The latter include susceptibility to ill-conceived reforms, a backward technical base, low social status of teachers, lacking teacher motivation at schools, unwillingness to solve emerging complex problems, an intergenerational cultural gap, and a low demand for scientific knowledge. The book contains the authors’ teaching materials for constructing the “Sociology of Education” training course, while offering a reliable glossary of scientific terms. The textbook will be in demand both for the process of educating college and postgraduate students, and within the professional sociological community.