European and national identity in the perceptions of modern Russian youth: the case of St. Petersburg

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of the formation of the identity of the modern Russian student youth in St. Petersburg. The study is relevant due to the insufficient formation of modern Russian identity and its value bases, as well as the need to study the influence of European values on the worldview of the modern Russian youth in the context of globalisation. The purpose of the study was to identify the level of European identity among the Russian youth, as well as the attitude of the youth of St. Petersburg to Russian and European identities, to the problems of European integration, mutual influence of the cultures. The young generation born in the new Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union was formed under the influence of the emerging new Russian identity, as well as the European identity, Western values and the processes of globalisation. Students of St. Petersburg, historically the most European city in Russia, were selected as the target group of the study.
 The method of in-depth interviews was used as the main research tool. The results of the study showed the great importance for young Russians of the concept of "European identity", as well as European values ​​and the European way of life, that confirms the assumption preceding the study about the significance of European influence on the worldview of modern youth in the context of globalisation. The attitude of the surveyed youth towards Russian identity is less positive, being consistent with the researchers' statements about the lack of clarity regarding the concept of "Russian identity" and its basic values. The limitation of the study is that the sample included only students from St. Petersburg, and therefore its results are difficult to extrapolate to other regions of Russia, due to the special position of the city. The results of the study are preliminary in nature, allowing to identify the most significant trends in the formation of identity among today's youth, that will serve as the basis for further research.
 The analysis of the study data showed that the European project of identity formation is more attractive to the surveyed youth than the Russian project of identity formation.