Student Youth in the Space of Historical Practices and Narratives (Regional Dimension)

Abstract

Introduction. The importance of exploring the specificity of shaping the historical memory among young people is due to the fact that it is this age that is crucial in the formation of worldview attitudes and civic identity. In modern geopolitical conditions, when the falsification of historical events of Russia's past takes place, the analysis of the factors of studentsʼ involvement in the space of historical practices and narratives that influence the formation of their historical memory is especially important. The aim of the article is to measure the level of students' involvement in the space of historical practices and narratives on the basis of quantitative and qualitative sociological research data; to identify the factors influencing the historical memory of student youth in the Republic of Mordovia. Materials and Methods. The empirical basis of the study constituted the findings derived from 20 semi-structured interviews with young people between 18 and 25 years old, as well as the results of an online survey held among university and secondary educational institutions learners in the Republic of Mordovia (n = 700). Multistage composite sampling. Results. Based on cluster analysis, three groups of student youth were identified according to the level of involvement in the space of historical practices and narratives. The relationship between belonging to a specific cluster and socio-demographic factors is presented: gender, level of education and place of residence turned out to be significant. Among the factors influencing the level of involvement in historical practices and narratives are cognitive interest in history, family memories, and active use of media. It has been established that the significance of these factors in shaping the historical memory of young people may vary. The most significant factors are historical education (at secondary school, vocational education institution, university), the role of teacher as a mediator of historical knowledge, as well as the continuity and depth of family memory. Discussion and Conclusion. The results of the study determine the factors of student youth involvement in the space of historical practices and narratives and supplement the sociological understanding of the processes of constructing the historical memory. The materials of the article may be of interest to specialists engaged in patriotic education, historical education of youth, practitioners involved in the development of youth policy.