Prevention of extremism among young people

Gevorgyan Armen Aramovich Postgraduate student; I. Kant Baltic Federal University 111397, Russia, Kaliningrad region, village Pereslavskoye, Dorozhnaya str., 9A tsvetkovaanna76@yandex.ru Other publications by this author

Introduction

Nowadays, the relevance and importance of the fight against terrorism and extremist ideologies, especially among young people, is recognized both domestically and internationally. This is confirmed by the growing number of cases involving extremism in the criminal, administrative and civil spheres, which indicates the seriousness of the threat that extremism poses not only to Russia, but also to the whole world.

In modern society, teenagers and young people are susceptible to extremist ideas due to their sensitivity to what is happening around them and certain social characteristics. Their active involvement in social networks and the ease of access to various sources of information via the Internet simplify the task of extremist groups seeking to spread their views among young people. As a result, radical ideologies promoting extremism, terrorism, nationalism, issues of sexual identity and relationships that may conflict with generally accepted moral and ethical norms are finding fertile ground among young people. This makes them vulnerable to organizations that want to use the energy and potential of young people to achieve their goals that are contrary to the public good ^{[2, p.7]}.

The increase in manifestations of extremism among young people can be traced as a result of weakening moral values and cultural decline. Young people exposed to this influence are often at the forefront of risk, as their social integration is insufficient, which leads to the formation of antisocial attitudes and, as a result, illegal actions. Adherence to radical movements, neo-fascist and nationalist ideas, as well as adherence to non-traditional religious teachings, is becoming a clear sign of such a deformation of thinking among young people.

The objectives of the article include:

- analysis of the most common forms of extremist manifestations among young people;

- identification of factors contributing to extremist sentiments among young people;

- development of scientifically based recommendations for educational institutions and social organizations on the prevention of extremism;

- determining the role of the family and socio-cultural environment in shaping the values of youth.

The study of the problem. The problem of preventing extremism among young people has become the subject of intensive research in recent decades, which is confirmed by numerous works by scientists and practitioners. In particular, the research conducted by Romanova (2017) focuses on the factors contributing to the involvement of young people in extremist movements, including socio-cultural conditions and psychological aspects.

A. I. Mikhailov (2019) in his work emphasizes the importance of forming critical thinking among young people as one of the key measures to prevent radicalization. In addition, the research of I. S. Kuznetsov (2020) examines the impact of social networks on the spread of extremist ideas, which necessitates the adaptation of preventive measures to modern conditions of digital communication.

The author of the work "Youth and Extremism: Challenges and Solutions" (2021) B. V. Popov highlights practical approaches to the implementation of programs aimed at strengthening the social responsibility of youth, which will effectively counter extremist ideologies. Thus, a multifaceted approach to studying the problems of extremism among young people requires the interaction of various scientific fields to develop effective preventive measures.

The research methodology is based on an analysis of Russian legislation, the works of domestic authors, and information obtained from open sources, including the Internet information and telecommunications network. The following methods were used in the course of the research: scientific cognition, comparison, analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, generalization and the system-structural method.

The results of the study

The legislative basis on which the fight against extremism in Russia is based is Federal Law No. 114-FZ dated July 25, 2002 "On Countering Extremist Activities". Despite the fact that this law is intended to combat and prevent extremism, problems arise in its practical implementation due to the lack of a clear definition of extremism, confusion of the concepts of extremism and extremist activity, as well as due to insufficient specification of the features and essence of this social phenomenon, limited only to listing its manifestations ^{[2, p.8]}.

Extremism means devotion to radical actions and ideas that actively oppose established values and laws in society, manifested through aggressive actions carried out both individually and by groups that purposefully violate the law for political purposes.

In a broader sense, extremism is perceived as a multifaceted socio-political process that evolves over time, including various organizations, ideologies and actions. These elements are united by a common feature — the use or threat of violence against State structures, political communities, individuals or residents of a certain area, in order to force the authorities or political forces to act in the interests of extremists.

A.A. Naida, in our opinion, rightly points out the problem that the boundaries of extremist activity and publications with extremist content are not clearly defined, which gives the law enforcers the opportunity to expand the interpretation of extremism. Actions similar in nature to extremism, such as socio-political activity involving debates and discussions, are not subject to legislative prosecution. This creates a paradox when elements inseparable from democracy and freedom of expression can be mistakenly classified as extremist ^{[2, p.9]}.

In the light of current circumstances, approaches to extremism tend to be broadly interpreted, which may inevitably lead to a limitation of the diversity of opinions in various aspects of society, including politics, religion and other fields. At the legislative level, the prevention of extremism is only briefly mentioned in certain legal norms, and the mechanism for its implementation is not spelled out in normative legal acts.

We believe that it is necessary to consolidate teachers of educational institutions at the legislative level as key participants in prevention. Educational institutions, striving to create an environment of respect for all cultures, nationalities and social groups, play an important role in the formation of civic qualities among young people, fostering respect for laws and State institutions.

Taking into account the peculiarities of age, psychology and social status, young people are more sensitive and active in their response to changes taking place in society. Without stable ideological orientations, young people, being under the influence of various social, political and economic changes, tend to develop radical opinions and beliefs ^[1]. We believe that the following factors influence extremist manifestations among young people:

- aggravation of social tension among young people. Extremism is constantly fueled by the uncertainty of the young man's position and his unsteady views on what is happening;

- criminalization of a number of spheres of public life. Extremism arises and develops more often in those societies and groups where there is a lack of self-respect and self-confidence, or the conditions of existence contribute to ignoring the rights of the individual;

- changing value orientations. Extremism is characteristic of communities not so much with the so-called low level of culture, but with a culture that is torn, deformed, and does not represent integrity;

- the use of a psychological factor for destructive purposes. The young man is concerned with the desire to find his group, the search for his own identity, which is formed according to the primitive scheme "we are them". His psyche is unstable, he is easily subjected to suggestion and manipulation;

- the use of Internet technologies for illegal purposes. It provides radical public organizations with access to a wide audience and promotion of their activities, the ability to post detailed information about their goals and objectives, time and place of meetings, and planned actions.

There are forms of extremism among young people, including religious, nationalist and political ones. Nationalist extremism includes incitement to hostility and hostility between different peoples and ethnic groups, while political extremism refers to extreme views of the current political system, most often democracy, and includes the promotion of violent methods to achieve the desired political regime, including methods based on fear, coercion, and even political terror ^{[4, p. 53]}.

In modern Russia, the problems of youth extremism can be associated with a drop in the level of education and general cultural development, including the ability to conduct a dialogue, as well as with the blurring of the chain of transmission of moral and value orientations from elders to juniors and a decrease in the sense of citizenship and patriotism. At the same time, nationalist extremism seeks to split multinational countries, prioritizing the dominance of the "indigenous nation" and the protection of its interests, culture and language, as a result of which genocide or discrimination of the "non-indigenous" population or representatives of other ethnic groups may occur. Religious extremism is expressed through rejection or aggression towards believers of other religions or within the same faith, which leads to fierce rivalry and conflicts.

Extremism is distinguished by a number of features indicating its deeply social nature, among which its socio-political motivation, resort to illegal forms of violence as the main means to achieve its ambitions, as well as the aggressive nature of its ideological and practical manifestations stand out. These factors make extremism especially dangerous for society. When it comes to countering the ideas of extremism among young people, the main focus should be on preventive measures. This is because the involvement of young people in extremist activities is often the result of their inability to find adequate ways to resolve socio-political, class, interethnic and religious issues that arise before them ^{[6, p. 203]}.

Attempts to combat extremism in many countries, including Russia, often rely on legislative and forceful measures. Despite their undoubted importance, they cannot completely replace the methods of psychological prevention. In addition, there is a lag in the development of social work in Russia, which is especially important for the country and for the prevention of extremism in particular.

There are various approaches to the development of a system of preventive measures in the scientific literature. So, according to B.Ya. Gavrilov, such measures should include ^[5]:

- creation of places in universities for talented youth;

- development of a long-term program in the field of youth policy to counter extremism;

- strengthening the role of patriotic education among young people;

- The return of the former authority of the word of the elders;

- Prevention of terrorism, which should also be addressed by civil society institutions.

E.O. Kubyakin believes that the prevention of youth extremism consists of family education received by a young man. It is often in the sphere of family education that intolerance is laid, extremist sentiments are formed, leading to the commission of extremist attacks ^[7].

N.V. Starikov indicates the following as preventive measures ^[16]:

- legal education of young people, raising the level of legal culture, overcoming legal nihilism;

- training and retraining of specialists in youth work on the prevention of extremism and xenophobia;

- cooperation with various faiths to counter extremism.

T.A. Ichetkina has a different opinion regarding measures to prevent youth extremism, which includes ^[14]:

- suppression of the negative influence of the street counterculture;

- fostering tolerance and a culture of interethnic communication through leisure organizations, interest clubs, sports clubs;

- development of the Institute of psychological assistance in schools;

- creation and development of a network of research centers at the federal and regional levels dealing with the problems of extremism and various manifestations of extreme forms of intolerance, racism and xenophobia;

- strengthening efforts to discredit extremist groups.

And finally, T.A. Yumashev believes that such measures are ^[17]:

- conducting individual interviews;

- organization of optional classes;

- organization of meetings with psychologists;

- conducting trainings, round tables, excursions, themed evenings, sports events, etc.;

- development of internal statistics reflecting the nature and condition of youth deviations;

- inclusion in the internal statistical reporting of various institutions engaged in correction, social rehabilitation, medical, psychological and pedagogical support, protection and protection of children and families of the "risk group".

Nevertheless, the approaches discussed above to developing a system of measures to prevent extremism have their advantages and limitations. The creation of places in universities and the development of long-term youth policy programs work at the system level, forming the basis for the training of an intellectually developed and socially responsible young generation. These measures, complemented by legal education and the promotion of a culture of interethnic communication, create a favorable environment that reduces the risks of extremism and social discord.

However, it is important to remember that any initiative comes with certain limitations and challenges. Whether it's the difficulties of modernizing traditional values or the need for significant resources to organize psychological support, everything requires a careful approach and a balance of interests. An effective solution to these shortcomings is possible through an integrated and open-to-change approach that includes both government assistance and the active participation of civil society institutions. An effective system for the prevention of extremism, in our opinion, requires a combination of educational, cultural, legal and social measures, because in an ever-changing society it is necessary to pay attention not only to legal and forceful methods of combating this threat, but also to develop multidimensional and sustainable preventive measures. Each of the proposed approaches demonstrates different aspects of developing measures, so they can be integrated into a single counteraction strategy.

We believe that only a comprehensive approach to the prevention of youth extremism can be effective. At the same time, before starting work on preventing extremism in educational institutions, it is important to assess the current state of the issue. This includes conducting various forms of surveys, including sociological surveys, questionnaires and interviews among students, their families and teachers to understand if there is a problem, how serious it is, how relevant it is to stakeholders and how well they are aware of the topic. After collecting and analyzing this information, careful planning of educational and educational activities aimed at students, their parents and teachers should be carried out in order to effectively solve the identified problems and prevent the emergence of new ones ^[7].

Each component of the integrated approach complements and strengthens the others, creating a sustainable system for the prevention of youth extremism. This allows you not only to cope with existing threats, but also to prevent their occurrence in the future.

The study of various approaches demonstrates that in order to effectively prevent extremism and prevent interethnic conflicts in the school environment, it is necessary to focus on three main groups of participants in the educational process. First, it is necessary to focus on students, including both universal educational and educational activities, as well as specialized programs for students at high risk, as well as for those who have already faced participation in illegal actions. Secondly, the key role is played by the training and methodological support of teachers, which includes not only their training in prevention methods, but also the development of appropriate methodological materials.

Interaction with families includes:

- educational activities and advice for parents on the issues under discussion;

- comprehensive support and interaction with each family individually.

In order to effectively combat extremism in the educational sphere, the following measures are being taken:

- creation and active activity of pedagogical communities aimed at cultivating mutual understanding and respect;

- the introduction of specialized programs and the integration of appropriate modules into standard curricula for teachers aimed at developing tolerance among students;

- development and dissemination of information materials among parents of students prepared by experts in the field of law, psychology, social education and representatives of law enforcement agencies ^[5].

Within the framework of educational institutions, a number of measures are proposed aimed at preventing illegal activities among children and adolescents. Among them is the development and application of a variety of programs and methodological approaches aimed at identifying and countering illegal behavior. This also includes the launch of a special week dedicated to learning the legal basics.

An important aspect is to promote the creation of student self-government bodies and groups dealing with law enforcement issues, which involve students of the eighth and eleventh grades. These initiatives are aimed not only at forming students' understanding of the importance of legal norms and rules, but also at actively involving them in the process of maintaining order and security in an educational institution ^{[3, p.46]}.

Additionally, in the preventive aspect for primary and secondary school students, the importance of fostering respect and tolerance, combating domestic xenophobia and discrimination is emphasized. Such measures involve not only the prevention of undesirable behavior, but are also aimed at helping children to make an informed choice of legitimate ways to meet their interests and needs.

Conclusion and conclusions.

To achieve effectiveness in preventive measures, two aspects are fundamentally important:

- external conditions, which mean the general situation, including interpersonal and intergroup relations, socio-political atmosphere, crime rate and other factors affecting the activities of teachers and trainees;

- internal characteristics of the educational process, including the quality of the teaching staff, socio-demographic characteristics of the team, the level of qualification of educators and the degree of development of students, as well as the specifics of the educational program ^[7].

In order to effectively counter extremism, it is necessary to ensure the high qualifications of project participants, their ability to work within the framework of both general and specialized measures to prevent antisocial behavior. It is also important to have the flexibility to adjust strategies and programs in response to changing realities, taking into account the individual and collective characteristics of target audiences. At the same time, it should be recognized that the content of educational components in preventive programs should be adapted to the age characteristics of students, emphasizing the importance of differentiating approaches.

With the acquisition of experience and knowledge, the importance of active participation in information processing and involvement in a variety of social, cultural and legal programs should increase. Effective creation and analysis of preventive programs require collaboration between social workers, educators, psychologists, sociologists and specialized teachers.