Dmitry Kurakin

Dmitry Kurakin is a Professor at the Institute of Education, HSE University, and Leading Research Fellow at the Centre for Fundamental Sociology. He has been affiliated with HSE since 2006, contributing to sociology of education, cultural sociology, and inequality studies.

• PhD in Theory, History and Methods of Sociology (2012, HSE University)
• Degree in Physics (2000, Lomonosov Moscow State University)

Kurakin’s research interests span cultural sociology, social inequality, cognitive sociology, and the application of Durkheimian theories to modern societal challenges. His work explores the sacred as a catalyst for cultural dynamics, the temporal structuring of action in educational trajectories, and gender segregation in labor markets. He investigates how root metaphors and emotional markers shape societal norms and individual agency.

His recent publications examine narratives in educational decision-making, vaccination behavior during the pandemic, and cosmetic surgery as ritual. These works reflect a consistent focus on cultural mechanisms and inequality reproduction within systems of education and labor.

• Member of the Editorial Board, American Journal of Cultural Sociology (2019)
• Member of the Editorial Board, Russian Sociological Review (2010)
• Recipient of HSE Gratitude (2020, 2022) and publication bonuses for international impact

Kurakin supervises doctoral students like E. Pavlenko (2024) and M. Kotelnikov (2024), integrating cultural sociology into studies of emotional experience and reading practices. He collaborates internationally, notably with the University of Iowa and the eduLIFE project at the European University Institute.