The article analyzes the relevance, factors and prospects of the transformation of modern sociological science. It is noted that digital technologies significantly change the fundamental foundations of social interaction, most everyday social practices, structures and conflicts. This poses a number of serious challenges to sociology as a science. It is emphasized that it is time to think deeply not only about the problem of transformation of what sociology studies, but also about the transformation of sociology itself as a specific intellectual practice. Attention is focused on the need for sociological analysis and interpretation of large-scale and long-term social processes, changes in the traditional way of sociology's participation in the formation of state social policy and the implementation of social reforms. Endogenous factors hindering the leadership of sociological science in the modern public intellectual discourse are identified, namely: fragmentation of sociology, its division into a huge number of directions, particular, local thematizations; lack of research attention of sociologists to the fundamental problems of social life; modern sociology does not form an agenda for public intellectual discourse and scientific research, does not define the problematic field of research and interpretation both at the microsocial level and at the level of societal and global phenomena; it is not socially engaged, does not engage in dialogic interaction with various groups of the public, does not help them to realize their values, interests and problems, to fight for their solution; sociologists do not show activity in related research areas (for example, such as social communications, public relations, advertising, marketing, political consulting, conflict studies), do not use for this a rich arsenal of sociological theoretical concepts, quantitative and qualitative methods; despite the mediatization of social life, sociology is not sufficiently media-based, it is extremely weakly present in the media space. A conclusion is formulated about the need to transform sociological thinking and sociological imagination, the need for serious changes in the educational programs of professional training of students, in particular their practical component, the search for new formats of professional communication.

The proceedings of the XX International Scientific and Practical Conference “Adult education under uncertainty: encouragement, motivation, tendencies” held on 11 February 2022, at Kharkiv University of Humanities “People’s Ukrainian Academy” include a variety of articles on the issues of adult education under uncertainty investigating the concept of “adult learning” and its modern interpretations. The collected articles highlight the global trends and Ukrainian peculiarities of educational programmes for adults; national strategies, models, and best practices of adult education; academic paths for adult learners: learning organization and plotting; priorities, and areas of education for older adult learners, and major challenges and barriers to their development. Special attention is paid to the conceptual foundations and priorities of andragogy.

The article analyzes the problems of evaluation of cultural activity of modern classical universities. It is emphasized that in the postmodern world this activity requires a triune symbiosis of science, education and culture, which should mutually enrich each other, i.e. it is proved that a new paradigm of university life is needed. The example of the activity of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University demonstrates how the desire of a modern university to be not only a center of knowledge and professional education, but also a center of active creative cultural practices is manifested. It is noted that such practices are very diverse, that they differ in their focus, objectives and forms of work. It turns out that due to such diversity there is a need to subordinate these practices to the main goal and determine an integrated assessment of their effectiveness, development and improvement. It is demonstrated that the latest model of evaluation as an interactive, communicative, self-corrected process of evaluating the classical university cultural activities is best suited for the development of the university as a cultural hub. This model is described as contributing to a deeper and more systematic understanding and development of such activities. In this sense, evaluation is seen not so much as a tool for evaluating activities, but as a tool for its development and improvement in changing conditions, i.e. in emergent social contexts. It is argued that in the evaluationary process, in addition to communication, research methods to study and analyze the opinions, positions, proposals, critiques of all actors and beneficiaries of the cultural project should be actively used. As such, sociological surveys, expert assessments, focused group interviews are provided, which provide valuable information about the real state of the project, its strengths and weaknesses, current issues. Conclusions about the status of evaluation in modern educational practices are formulated. Potential directions of further researches of evaluative practices in educational contexts are described.

The article examines the sociological views of B. Kistyakivsky, his place and role in the history of sociological thought. The scientist's life path, formation and evolution of his scientific interests are traced. It is shown that the formation of B. Kistyakivsky's sociological views did not take place in the Russian academic environment, saturated with populist ideals, positivist concepts and, to some extent, the ideas of "legal Marxism", but in the context of the influential trends of Western European sociological thought and social psychology represented by G.Simmel, M.Weber, G. Tarde, W.Wundt, as well as philosophical neo-Kantianism (G.Rickert, W.Windelband), Neo-Kantian philosophical ideas and attitudes, Western European legal doctrines, which Kistyakivsky became familiar with during his studies at German universities determined his fundamental interest in the methodology of social cognition, in the sociology of law, in constitutionalism as the quintessence of democratic legal culture. Under the influence of neo-Kantianism, B.Kistyakivsky delved into the specifics of scientific knowledge of social phenomena, he was one of the first (if not the first) in world sociology to attempt a systemic logical and methodological awareness of social cognition as such and sociological science in particular. The positions of B. Kistiakivskiу regarding various interpretations of the essence and tasks of sociology as a science were analyzed. His contribution to the development of the logical and methodological foundations of sociological knowledge, criticism of subjectivism and naturalism in sociological science, his proposals for overcoming the crisis state of social sciences, and his proposed solution to the problem of combining social necessity and conscious human activity are highlighted. The attitude of B. Kistyakivsky to the Ukrainian question, his dedication to Ukrainian culture, his role in the creation of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences is shown.

The article is devoted to the visual culture of Ukraine since independence. It pays special attention to the trends and phenomena of contemporary Ukrainian visual culture that have entered the context of world culture through recognition on international cultural platforms (competitions, festivals, biennials, etc.). The considerations concern the development of various trends in contemporary Ukrainian art, which use various artistic media: photography, installation, performance and film. In particular, Ukrainian conceptual photography was the most interestingly represented by several generations of photographers of the Kharkiv School, who combined radical bodily imagery and social criticism. The Ukrainian installation is represented by the works of artists of the REP (Revolutionary Experimental Space) group, which is focused on the unity of art and politics and considers artistic creation as a political act. An interesting sub-direction of the installation is the video installation, which delivers an original combination of contemporary Ukrainian artists with site-specific art and artistic means of reflecting on the traumas inflicted on Ukrainian society by the war. The article pays special attention to the development of contemporary Ukrainian cinema. The author demonstrates the connection between the work of contemporary Ukrainian filmmakers and the traditions of Ukrainian poetic cinema. In addition, other trends in Ukrainian cinema are identified: the experimental search for a new film language, the development of documentary cinema, on top of the convergence of fiction and non-fiction artistic languages in the work of contemporary Ukrainian filmmakers. The dominant issues of contemporary Ukrainian films selected for screening at leading European film festivals are identified: inclusiveness, reflection on Ukrainian history, war trauma, psychological rehabilitation of combatants, etc.