Kristina O. Malinina, PhD in Sociology, Leading Researcher, Laboratory for Territorial Development Issues, Institute for Socio-Economic and Bioresource Research, at N. Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Arkhangelsk, e-mail: malinina.ciom@gmail.com
Tatiana A. Blynskaia, PhD in Agricultural science, Senior Researcher, Laboratory for Territorial Development Issues, Institute for Socio-Economic and Bioresource Research at N. Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Arkhangelsk, e-mail: t_blynskaya@mail.ru
In the context of a post-industrial economy and the transition to a creative way of life, traditional approaches to the formation of youth labor potential, which focus on education and professional training, are insufficient. Cultural consumption is becoming an increasingly important factor, serving as a resource for the development of key competencies for the 21st century. The purpose of this article is to provide a theoretical and methodological analysis of cultural consumption as a factor in the formation and development of youth labor potential. The research is based on an interdisciplinary synthesis of classical and modern sociological concepts: the theory of human (G. Becker), social (J. Coleman) and cultural (P. Bourdieu) capitals, the evolutionary theory of modernization (R. Inglehart, K. Welzel) and the concepts of creative economy (R. Florida). An analytical review of modern Russian and foreign studies on this issue has been conducted. It has been established that cultural consumption has a complex impact on the labor potential of young people, functioning through several interrelated mechanisms: 1) the accumulation of human capital through the development of cognitive and soft skills (creativity, critical thinking, and communication); 2) the formation of social capital through the expansion of professional networks and connections; 3) the transformation of value orientations towards post-materialism, which increases adaptability to the requirements of an innovative economy. Empirical evidence confirms the link between active cultural practices and higher levels of professional mobility, social engagement, and career achievement strategies. Cultural consumption is a significant but underestimated resource for shaping the competitive labor potential of young people. The findings expand our understanding of the mechanisms of labor resource reproduction and open up new opportunities for developing comprehensive strategies in the fields of education, culture, and youth policy.
Keywords: labor potential, cultural consumption, human capital, cultural capital, social capital, creative economy, career strategies, post-materialistic values, soft skills, cultural practices
This article was prepared as part of a state assignment on the research topic “Theoretical and methodological foundations of integrated management of regional development resources in modern conditions (based on the example of the western part of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation)” State registration number 125021902597-5.
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