Shugurov M.V. Issues of Providing High Social Status to Scientific Workers: International-Legal and National-Legal Aspects

Abstract: The subject of the research is social position of scientific workers in the circumstances of modern scientific-technological and innovative development of the society. Special attention is paid to the justification of the necessity for the “creators” of scientific and technical progress to reach high social status as a factor of the enhancement of the role of science in contemporary society. The author demonstrates that all states that conduct active scientific and technological policy are facing this issue. This problem can be resolved due to regulation of legal status of scientific workers within the framework of national legislation based on international legal standards. In this connection the article thoroughly examines the system of international legal standards regarding the legal position of scientific workers. The author analyses the documents that belong to international “hard” and “soft” law, demonstrating the advantages of regulation of the elements of such status on the level of advisory acts. Special attention is paid to the analysis of the directions of enhancing social status of the scientific workers with the help of legal policy in the field of improvement of legal regulation of informational, labour and socioeconomic rights of the representatives of this professional group. Methodologically the research is based on the understanding of social status in modern social philosophy and sociology. Apart from that, the author considers legal status as a condition for the provision of social status, as well as the unity of rights and duties. At the same time, the duties are said to root not only in participation of scientific workers in labour relations, but also in their ethical responsibility towards society and individuals. The main contribution of the author to the study of the topic is the consideration of the meaning of international legal standards of the legal status of scientific workers as a basis for the harmonisation of regulation of their social status on the national level, which is especially important in the conditions of globalisation of scientific and technological as well as innovative development. The novelty of the study lies in the understanding of such major element of the legal status of scientific workers as the freedom of research, as a responsible freedom. The main conclusion of the article is the justification of the modernisation trends of the legal status of the scientific workers based on renewed international standards, which are the reference points for tis direction of scientific and technological policy of the states.   

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