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Sociodynamics
Reference:

Look into the Future: Life Values and Orientations of Modern Youth in Yakutia

Zakharova Akulina E.

ORCID: 0000-0003-4973-8375

PhD in Sociology

Senior Researcher, Institute for Humanitarian Research and North Indigenous People Problems of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

677000, Russia, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Yakutsk, Petrovsky str., 1

linamestnikova@gmail.com
Other publications by this author
 

 

DOI:

10.25136/2409-7144.2024.6.71007

EDN:

KQJDZG

Received:

10-06-2024


Published:

17-06-2024


Abstract: The article contributes to the discussion about the values and life strategies of modern youth using the example of a study of students in the northern region of Russia. The article presents some results of a sociological survey aimed at studying the life world, social and political orientations of students of three federal universities of Yakutia (NEFU, ASICA, ChSIPhES). Special attention is paid to the peculiarities of the distribution of life values and orientations, factors of success and happiness, as well as the ratio of the respondents' civil and regional identities. The sociological study ‘Students of Russia: Civic Culture and Life Strategies’ was conducted by the Centre of Political Science of SPR FCTAS RAS in April-May 2023. The object of the study is Russian students. The study used a quota-proportional all-Russian sample with interdependent characteristics of the general population: gender, age, place of residence, level of education received and areas of higher education. The sample size is 6389 respondents, with 468 students in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The data analysis revealed the priority of material-economic and socio-emotional life values in the individual matrices of young people. Material prosperity, interesting work, family stability, emotional ties with family members and friends, education, as well as autonomy, independence, individualism are the most significant in the lives of students. The spatial levels of identity and the degree of emotional attachment to local and global territorial communities, as well as the attitude of young people in Yakutia to Russia have been revealed. Student youth optimistically builds an image of the future of Yakutia and Russia, relying on traditional values and family, while being open to the global society, mostly relying on their own experience and competences.


Keywords:

student youth, values, value orientations, homeland, happiness, success, regional identity, Yakutia, sociological research, survey

This article is automatically translated.

During the student period, personal self-awareness is formed, it is at this stage that a person forms his main life goals and meanings, a system of values, life strategies, a transition from social and moral self-determination to self-realization in society takes place. If we consider values as those objects of the surrounding reality, in relation to which an individual takes an assessment position in accordance with his needs, then the basis of the matrix of values, its core is a ranked set of values [1]. Zh. T. Toshchenko, based on data from sociological research, noted that such orientations as family are the leading values of youth, health, friends, material well-being, career, ideas about freedom [2, p.177]. According to F. I. Sherega's typology, they can be considered in three dimensions: socio-biological (family, health, friends), material and economic (career, money, work) and institutional life values (power, faith, attitude to the Motherland) [3, p. 69].

In the hierarchy of values, traditional values are becoming important, serving as "moral guidelines that form the worldview of Russian citizens, passed down from generation to generation, underlying the unified cultural space of the country, strengthening civil unity, which have found their unique, original manifestation in the spiritual, historical and cultural development of the multinational people of Russia"[4]. In the works of researchers, traditional values are considered, which, "on the one hand, are based on cultural and historical heritage and life experience, and on the other hand, they are necessarily reproduced in the worldview of new generations of people" [5, p. 94; 6].

In April-May 2023, the Center for Political Science of the Institute of Socio-Political Studies (ISPI) of the Federal Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences conducted a survey in 30 subjects of the Russian Federation aimed at studying the life world, social and political orientations of students "Students of Russia: Civic Culture and Life Strategies". The total sample size was 6,757 respondents, in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) 468 students of the Northeastern Federal University named after M.K. Ammosov, the Arctic State Institute of Culture and Arts, Churapchinsky State Institute of Physical Culture and Sports, studying full-time (75.9%), part-time (8.8%) and correspondence (15.4%) forms of education.

According to the results of a sociological study, in the individual matrix of values, the most important students of Yakutia include material prosperity (62.4%) and interesting work (60.3%), family stability, emotional connection with family members (58.5%), personal peace, lack of worries and obligations (57.5%), have their own social circle, friends with whom you can spend your free time (55.3%), as well as the availability of high-quality education, independence, independence, individualism (52.8%), as well as life in accordance with your conscience, your principles (51.1%) (Table 1).

Table 1.

Distribution of answers to the question:

"Which of the above is important to you personally?", in %

Answer options

1 - it doesn 'T matter at all

2

3

4

5 - very important

Material prosperity

4,10%

7,10%

13,90%

12,60%

62,40%

Interesting job

3,80%

7,70%

15,40%

12,80%

60,30%

Family stability, emotional connection with family members

5,30%

7,90%

14,70%

13,50%

58,50%

Personal peace, absence of worries and obligations

4,30%

7,50%

14,70%

16,00%

57,50%

Have your own social circle, friends with whom you can spend your free time

4,70%

7,30%

15,20%

17,50%

55,30%

Independence, independence, individualism

4,90%

7,70%

16,70%

17,90%

52,80%

Broad horizons, availability of high-quality education

4,50%

7,30%

15,20%

20,30%

52,80%

Living in accordance with your conscience, your principles

4,30%

6,80%

17,90%

19,90%

51,10%

Feeling like a professional, a master of his craft

5,60%

6,80%

19,40%

19,20%

48,90%

Creative work that allows you to create new things

6,00%

10,50%

19,20%

17,70%

46,60%

The opportunity to help people and spread important social values]

6,00%

7,70%

20,30%

23,30%

42,70%

Self-respect from colleagues, friends

5,30%

9,80%

20,50%

21,80%

42,50%

Have a social circle that can bring career benefits

7,90%

10,30%

23,30%

20,70%

37,80%

Achieving a high position / Power

17,90%

14,30%

29,70%

16,20%

21,80%

Undoubtedly, the concept of success is important in building a life strategy and an individual matrix of values for a young person. The strategy of life success includes intellectual-creative, motivational, value-oriented, emotional-sensual, moral-volitional and behavioral-adaptive aspects [7, p. 197]. In the answers of students to the question "What, in your opinion, is the basis of success today?" priorities were set as follows: the most significant are "own intelligence and abilities" (48.7%), "business acumen, pragmatism, entrepreneurship" (44.9%) and "professionalism, business qualities, competence" (44.2%). The presence of connections and acquaintances (45.9%) in achieving life success is also considered important. Considering that the significance of almost all the proposed indicators has reached the maximum values on the scale, students consider success to be a multidimensional, systemic concept, for which it is necessary to activate all possible qualities and resources (Table 2).

Table 2.

Distribution of answers to the question:

"What, in your opinion, is the basis of success today?", in %

Answer options

1 is the least significant

2

3

4

5 - as significant as possible

Own intelligence, abilities

4,90%

6,00%

17,50%

22,90%

48,70%

Connections, acquaintances

4,10%

6,60%

20,50%

22,90%

45,90%

Business acumen, pragmatism, entrepreneurial spirit

4,10%

5,60%

19,00%

26,50%

44,90%

Professionalism, business qualities, competence

4,90%

6,60%

17,30%

26,90%

44,20%

The ability to use any means to achieve a goal

5,30%

8,30%

21,40%

21,20%

43,80%

Wealth

6,20%

7,90%

21,20%

22,00%

42,70%

Availability of initial capital, ownership

4,30%

7,10%

22,90%

23,50%

42,30%

Education

8,10%

9,40%

24,60%

17,30%

40,60%

Influential relatives, parents

6,00%

9,20%

26,10%

19,70%

39,10%

Luck, luck, lucky chance

6,80%

11,10%

25,40%

20,50%

36,10%

Charm, good looks

6,00%

7,90%

26,70%

25,40%

34,00%

Power

14,30%

14,10%

29,50%

14,50%

27,60%

Studentship is a time of youth, apprenticeship, comprehension of life; a time of hopes, expectations, opportunities ‒ in the opinion of many, it is the best and happiest time in life. What do the students of Yakutia themselves put into the concept of happiness? Judging by the answers of the respondents, a happy person is primarily made by the family (66.7%). It is gratifying to note that family values resonate with the younger generation, a young family and its needs become a key object of social and demographic policy of the state, while researchers believe that the phenomenon of modern student families is poorly studied and requires further research, it is especially important to keep records of their numbers, analyze problems and needs both at the regional and federal levels levels [8].

In second place are the "happy" factors: independence, independence and freedom (66.5%). This triad in those other formulations runs like a "red thread" through various aspects of the life and activities of young Yakut people. Thus, freedom was to be one of the main concepts defining Russian politics; independence and independence were among the "ten" most important values of youth; one's own intelligence and abilities are the most significant in achieving success in life.

Achieving a dream is an aspiration to the future, motivation for creative activity and a path to happiness for 64.1% of students. Also, respondents need pleasures in life (63.9%) and loyal friends (60.7%) to feel happy.

Table 3.

Distribution of answers to the question:

"What will make you a happy person?", in %

Answer options

This option

Other options

Family

66,70%

33,30%

Independence, independence, freedom

66,50%

33,50%

Achieving a dream

64,10%

35,90%

The pleasures of life

63,90%

36,10%

Loyal friends

60,70%

39,30%

Health, physical perfection

57,70%

42,30%

Love

57,70%

42,30%

Favorite hobby, interesting leisure time

56,00%

44,00%

Material wealth, wealth

56,00%

44,00%

Journeys

50,60%

49,40%

A sense of personal security

50,20%

49,80%

Success at work, in the profession

46,60%

53,40%

Harmony, mutual understanding

46,20%

53,80%

Nature, good ecology

41,20%

58,80%

The opportunity to realize your creative abilities

37,00%

63,00%

Public safety

34,80%

65,20%

Luck, luck, lucky chance

31,00%

69,00%

Personal charm, attractiveness, appearance

27,10%

72,90%

Business qualities, competence, professionalism

26,30%

73,70%

Own a business, an enterprise, a company owned

25,40%

74,60%

Connections, social acquaintances

22,20%

77,80%

Recognition of others, prestige

19,70%

80,30%

Power

12,20%

87,80%

In sociological science, various discursive practices are currently being observed, studies of historical memory, territorial and civic identities and problems of patriotic education of youth in the context of attitudes towards small and large homeland, which allow us to see the complexity and ambiguity of experience, to expand the perspective from the total to the private, returning the human dimension to history in specific spatio-temporal and national-V. T. Mikhailov, J. Runge [9] say that spatial levels of identity determine the degree of emotional attachment to specific local-territorial communities, at the individual level - to a small homeland (village, district, city); at the subnational level – identification with a region, region; at the national level level – to the country. However, despite its conceptual significance, this approach captures only a static picture that does not reflect the dynamics of the transformation of territorial identity under the influence of modern geopolitical and interregional processes.

From the point of view of K. S. Mokin, N. A. Baryshnaya, territorial identity is a complex of social ties and relationships articulated in their context, including the semantic (cognitive) content of everyday social, economic, cultural and political practices involving: 1) uniqueness in comparison with similar practices in other territories; 2) locality of attachment to the community living in a particular territory; 3) depth and separability of common values, ideals and interests by residents of the local community; 4) clarity (transparency) of these values and interests both for the members of the territorial community themselves and for "external"actors, in relation to which the dichotomy of the "friend–foe" relationship is formed [10].

A small homeland, its components construct the foundations of a human life strategy. The appeal to the phenomenon of a small Homeland allows for a systematic approach to understanding the formation of personal qualities and value-symbolic orientations of a person who make up his life strategies (A. O. Boronoev [11; 12], K. A. Abulkhanova-Slavskaya [13; 14], D. V. Mironov [15]).

In the conducted study, more than half of the respondents (51.5%) to the question "Where is your homeland?" chose the option "I consider Russia my homeland, regardless of where it is better to live - here or in another country" (Table 4).

Table 4.

Distribution of answers to the question "Where is your homeland?", in %

I consider Russia my homeland, regardless of where it is better to live — here or in

another country

I would like to consider Russia my homeland, provided that it will be better to live in it than in

other countries

For me, my homeland is where I feel comfortable, it's good to live, regardless of where I was born."

I've been thinking about it, but I'm still at a loss to answer.

I haven't thought about this question.

51,5%

9,2%

22,0%

6,8%

10,5%

According to the data of a sociological study carried out under the project "Asian Russia: demography, ethnic composition of the population and interethnic relations in the new conditions of turning to the East" (Dr. T. B. Smirnov) as part of the Program of scientific research related to the study of the ethnocultural diversity of Russian society and aimed at strengthening the All-Russian identity 2023-2025 (ruk Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences V. A. Tishkov), to a similar question in a slightly different formulation, "What do you consider your homeland?" the majority of Yakut respondents (58.5%) chose the option "your region (region, republic), the next most common answer option is "your city/his village" (26%). In comparison with the other 12 Russian regions of Asian Russia (19% and 18.3%, respectively), residents of Yakutia demonstrate a significantly higher level of regional and territorial identity [16, p. 45]. Of course, the formation of a single territorial affiliation and co-involvement of individuals and groups, awareness and division of the value system of a certain local community by people, is significantly influenced by the specifics of the region - not only the geographical remoteness of Yakutia from the central regions of the country, transport inaccessibility, extreme climatic conditions, but also ethnocultural and natural identity, socio-economic and socio-cultural processes that shape the characteristics of the region.

The territorial identity of young Yakut people who took part in the study "Students of Russia: Civic Culture and life strategies", their spatial levels of identity and the degree of emotional attachment to local and global territorial communities can be revealed through the interpretation of the answers to the question "To what extent do you feel yourself", presented in the form of an interval scale, where 1 point is very I feel it weakly, 5 – I feel it very strongly.

They feel most strongly like a resident of the locality where they were born and grew up (42.5%) and a representative of their nationality (41.7%), to a slightly lesser extent they feel like a Russian (35.7%), Asian (34.6%) and a resident of the city where I live now (30.8%). Europeans (70.7%) and Eurasians (60.9%) feel the least like themselves. There is an assumption that the question of regional identity, formulated as "To what extent do you feel like a member of a sub-regional community" (25.2% - very strongly; 23.1% - very weakly) was not quite correctly understood by the respondents (Table 5).

Table 5.

Distribution of answers to the question "To what extent do you feel yourself?", in %

Answer options

1 - I feel very faintly

2

3

4

5 - I feel very strongly

A resident of the locality where he was born and grew up

5,6%

10,9%

22,4%

18,6%

42,5%

A representative of his nationality

9,2%

14,1%

17,9%

17,1%

41,7%

A Russian

10,0%

14,7%

24,1%

15,4%

35,7%

Asian

18,2%

13,0%

19,9%

14,3%

34,6%

A resident of the city where I live now

9,4%

13,9%

25,6%

20,3%

30,8%

A member of the sub-regional community

23,1%

16,7%

19,9%

15,2%

25,2%

A man of the world

25,4%

16,5%

21,4%

13,7%

23,1%

A man of the Internet

28,2%

16,7%

21,8%

17,3%

16,0%

A Eurasian

60,9%

12,4%

14,7%

6,2%

5,8%

A European

70,7%

12,6%

9,8%

4,5%

2,4%

The data of the conducted research correlate with the results of questionnaire surveys conducted within the framework of the project "Interethnic situation in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)", implemented by the Center for the Study of Interethnic Relations of the Institute of Sociology of the Federal Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Center for Strategic Studies under the Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in 2021, where regional identity is a priority among respondents (80%): "they feel connected with people living in the republic, they are united with their fellow countrymen by similar values, the history of the territory, views on the future development of their region, etc." [17, p. 191]; ethnic (68%) and generational (67%) identities are actualized in the background; in the third placein terms of local territorial and settlement identity (64%), as well as national identity (52%).

Strengthening regional identity, not in opposition, but in strengthening the general civil one, is a consolidating principle conducive to building an effective system of regional and interregional interactions, since the formation of a single civil nation according to the formula "unity in diversity" not only ensures civil harmony in the state, "but is also the only feasible formula for building a multi-ethnic country" [18, P.395].

In conclusion, it can be stated that the student youth builds an image of the future of Yakutia and Russia in optimistic tones, relying on traditional values and family, while being open to global society, mainly relying on their own experience and competencies.

References
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3. Sheregi, F. I. (2013). Political attitudes of students of Russian universities. Sociological Studies, 1, 63-78.
4. Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of 09.11.2022 No. 809 ‘On Approval of the Fundamentals of State Policy for the Preservation and Strengthening of Traditional Russian Spiritual and Moral Values’.
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The subject of the research in the presented article is the life values and orientations of the modern youth of Yakutia (taking into account the prospects of the future). The descriptive method, the categorization method, the analysis method, the generalization method, the comparison method were used as the methodology of the subject area of the study in this article, as well as the results of a sociological study conducted by a survey of student youth. The relevance of the article is beyond doubt, since modern Russian society is in the stage of significant serious changes that have affected the fundamental spheres of society. These processes significantly affect the transformation of the life values of modern youth, change value orientations and lay the foundation for meaning-forming vectors of behavior in the future, which often happens at a special stage in the life of young people, which is the student body. The scientific novelty of the research consists in studying, according to the author's methodology, the peculiarities of the life values and orientations of modern youth of Yakutia based on the data of the "survey aimed at studying the life world, social and political orientations of student youth "Students of Russia: Civic Culture and life Strategies" conducted by the "Center for Political Science of the Institute of Socio-Political Studies (ISPI) FNISTC RAS in 30 subjects of the Russian Federation". As noted in the article, "the total volume of the sample totaled 6,757 respondents in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). 468 students of the Northeastern Federal University named after M.K. Ammosov, the Arctic State Institute of Culture and Arts, Churapchinsky State Institute of Physical Culture and Sports, full-time students (75.9%), full-timecorrespondence (8.8%) and correspondence (15.4%) forms of education." The article is written in the language of scientific style with the competent use in the text of the study of the presentation of various positions of scientists to the problem under study and the application of scientific terminology and definitions, as well as a visual demonstration of the results of the study. The structure is designed taking into account the basic requirements for writing scientific articles, in the structure of this study, such elements as an introductory part, the main part with the results of the study, conclusion and bibliography can be distinguished. The content of the article reflects its structure. In particular, the analysis of the research results characterizing the understanding of success by modern youth is of particular value, which considers this category as "a multidimensional, systemic concept, for which it is necessary to activate all possible qualities and resources," which is very clearly presented in table 2 of the article. The bibliography contains 18 sources, including domestic periodicals and non-periodicals, as well as a regulatory legal act. The article describes various positions and points of view of scientists characterizing the life values and orientations of modern youth, as well as their importance for the future. The article contains an appeal to various scientific works and sources devoted to this topic, which is included in the circle of scientific interests of researchers dealing with this issue. The presented study contains conclusions concerning the subject area of the study. In particular, the following is noted: "it can be stated that the student youth builds an image of the future of Yakutia and Russia in optimistic tones, relying on traditional values and family, while being open to global society, mainly relying on their own experience and competencies." The materials of this study are intended for a wide range of readers, they can be interesting and used by scientists for scientific purposes, teaching staff in the educational process, management and administration of educational organizations, employees of ministries, departments and organizations responsible for working with young people, specialists in working with students, psychologists, social workers, sociologists, by analysts and experts. As disadvantages of this study, it should be noted that in the text of the article, in addition to using tables, the results of the study could be illustrated with figures for greater clarity. When making tables and bibliographies, it is necessary to pay attention to the requirements of the current GOST standards, especially on the design of regulatory legal acts (source No. 4 in the bibliography, Decree of the President of the Russian Federation). The structural elements of the study, such as the introduction, literature review, research methodology, discussion of the results, conclusions, are undoubtedly in the content of the article, but they are not indicated and are not highlighted by the appropriate headings. When writing an article, it would be possible to use foreign sources, refer to them and include them in the bibliographic list. These shortcomings do not reduce the scientific and practical significance of the study itself, but rather relate to the design of the text of the article. It is recommended to publish the article.