THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF CIVIC POSITION FORMATION IN PEDAGOGICAL SCIENCE AND PRACTICE

Abstract

The problems of the civic position formation of an individual are rooted in multiple factors. These include a challenging stage in the development of Russian society, social, cultural, economic, and political problems, rethinking the country’s past, and unclear value references. All these factors can lead to moral disorientation and a loss of ideals. At the present stage, the formation of civic position is an interesting subject of research for many scientists. They reveal the essence of Citizenship as a concept and describe civic position formation’s psychological aspects. Moreover, citizenship is considered a social phenomenon, the formation of which depends on social relations and the organization of the educational process. During the last decade, there has been an increased interest in research on the problem of citizenship formation at an adolescent age. In pedagogy, the following types of positions are distinguished: lifestyle, social, and internal. The similarity of the concepts of Internal Position and Attitude is emphasized, and it is explained that Attitude defines Position as a unified system of individual-personal relations between a person and their surrounding reality. Objective and subjective factors under the influence of which a person’s civic position is formed are also explained. The objective factors refer to socio-political conditions. Meanwhile, subjective factors refer to the interests of the individual, their needs, abilities, and values. On this basis, the following components, which are most often highlighted by scientists in the study and generalization of a person’s civic position, and contribution to its formation, are listed: cognitive (knowledge of citizenship, civic position, civil rights and responsibilities), motivational-valuable (a humanistic feature of a person’s relationship to society, work, people and themselves, civic value orientations), and activity (ability to fulfill one’s civil rights and duties, comply with social and legal standards, carry out socially significant activities for the public good). Three levels of formation of a person’s civic position are distinguished and described (low, average, high). The relationship and differences of such concepts as Patriotism, Citizenship, Civic Position, as well as Patriot and Citizen are emphasized, and their essence is revealed. By Patriotism, we mean the feeling of love and attachment to a country and alliance with other citizens who share the same sentiment to create a feeling of oneness among the people. As part of the study of the civic position formation, the concept of Civic activity is touched upon, which is explained and classified by the following types: official (electoral process) and unofficial (participation in socially significant activities). The manifestation forms of a person’s civic position affecting their formation are outlined (passive, active, conformist (consumer), rebellious (protest), constructive). At the same time, emphasis is placed on an active civic position, in which society and the state are interested. The conclusion clarifies the definition of Civic Position, which is explained as a system of positive value orientations that an individual may possess in relation to the state, law, civil society, themselves as an active citizen, carrying out socially important activities, and a focus on the public good. The analysis of the studied topic allows us to state its undoubted theoretical and practical significance since this problem is relevant and not fully solved at the present stage of the socio-political development of Russia.