Discourse analysis of young people regional identity (based on empirical research executed in Togliatti)

Abstract

Scientific approaches to social identity consider it as a dynamic structure, the result of social construction. The purpose of the article is a discursive analysis of the image of the city, which characterizes the features of the structure of the regional identity of young people. The novelty of the approach is to develop a methodology for analyzing the discourse of regional identity based on the study of the image of the city in the minds of young people. Materials and methods: The empirical base of the study includes essays written by young residents of Togliatti about their attitude to the city, its history, past, present and future (N=25). Text analysis involves the study of structures of discourse that characterize the perception of the youth of the citys history, the modern image of the city, and ideas about its future. The results of the research: The results of the discursive analysis revealed the specifics of the description of the image of Togliatti by young people in three time dimensions: in the past, present and future. The analysis of the image of the historical past of the city shows that it includes the contrast of the Stavropol stage to the period of the second half of the twentieth century, when Togliatti was formed. The Soviet past of Togliatti has a value for young people as an era of great achievements. The modern image of Togliatti is constructed as a contrast to this period; the authors demonstrate critical attitude to it. The image of the future city is presented as optimistic but uncertain. Discussion and conclusions: The development of discursive analysis is a promising area of scientific research of regional identity. The methodology makes it possible to identify and describe the dynamic structures of images that shape the attitude of young people to the region.