Influence of the Religious Factor on Political Identity in the Lower Volga Region

Abstract

The article is aimed at finding a correlation between an individual’s religion and his political guidelines, which form a political identity. The article analyzes data of the sociological survey conducted in the spring of 2020 in the Lower Volga Region by the research team of the Department of History, Political Science and Sociology of the Saratov State Law Academy. The sample size was 1,100 persons. The collection of primary sociological information was carried out by means of the Internet survey of respondents using the Google forms service. Representatives of the Astrakhan Oblast (184 respondents), Volgograd Oblast (307) and Saratov Oblast (609) were interviewed. The theoretical significance of the study lies in the substantiation of the importance of religious affiliation in shaping political orientations and in mainstreaming the religious component of the political identity of citizens. The study covers a range of topics related to the politicization of religion and the sacralization of politics. The application of the study is to determine the importance of religiosity in contemporary political processes. This leads to a conclusion on the intersection/overlap of two identities: religious and political that is essential for the formation of a common civic identity in modern post-secular Russia. The boundaries of religious and political identities have not been strictly matched. A request for fairness and change has been identified and there was discontent over the basic functioning of the political system, which creates risks of radicalization of the public mood. According to the results of the study, these public sentiments indicate that symbolic identification prevails. Political secularization in the public consciousness of the population of the Lower Volga region has not occurred. At the same time, the religious factor as part of the citizens' world view has a certain influence on the formation of political identity in the region.