Education, historical memory and civil identity: vectors of influence (on the example of students of Republic of Mordovia)

Abstract

Introduction. The article presents for the first time the results of the study of the influence of education, historical memory on the formation of civil identity of modern students of the Republic of Mordovia. Clarification and identification of the vectors of historical memory influence in the formation of civic identity through the prism of the education level of young people not only allows to set the existing problems and contradictions, but also to determine the dominant factors and mechanisms (tools) the formation of youth historical memory to effectively use them to reinforce patriotic education, active involvement of the younger generation to meaningful social events of the Russian history through various social institutions such as education, science, art, cinema, media. Materials and Methods. In the course of the study was used a sociological survey of students of universities and colleges of the Republic of Mordovia. Quota sampling by sex, age and level of education was applied. The sample amounted to 586 h. data processing was carried out by using the statistical software package SPSS Base 21.0. Processing techniques made identification of correlation between individual parameters, the Pearson’s Chi-squared. Results. It is based on the identified vectors of mutual influence of education, the historical memory of the civilian identity of student youth set a certain ambivalence and inconsistency in the perception of the historical events of the past among young people, on the one hand is a high assessment of the achievements of the Soviet period, when the collective positive memory of the Soviet past prevails, forming positive attitude to the event the youth is the foundation for sustainable nationwide identity, on the other hand, the events of the modern history of Russia are not significant in the historical consciousness of young people. The author established the importance of the level of education of young people when choosing the main events – “nodes” of memory, events-regret (oblivion), sources of formation. Discussion and Conclusion The question of the influence of individual memory (family memories) on the construction of students’ identity and its comparison with the influence of collective memory remains open, which requires further research. The obtained results expand and supplement knowledge in the field of sociology of youth and memory studies, and can also be used as scientific and methodological recommendations in the development of curricula for teaching historical knowledge in the system of school, secondary vocational and higher education and in priorities determining in the system of youth patriotic education.