Sociological diagnostics of the historical consciousness of Russians: Request for sustainable development and teaching of sociology

Abstract

The article is a review of the book edited by M.K. Gorshkov Historical Consciousness of Russians: Assessments of the Past, Memory, and Symbols (Sociological Measurement) (Moscow: Ves Mir, 2022. 248 p.). The author identifies the key characteristics of the theoretical-methodological tools of this sociological diagnostics: analysis of civil identity through the national-state symbols; identification of specific features of the historical memory of social, regional and generational groups about the significant achievements of society and the state; representativeness of the sociological data provided by a multi-stage stratified sample. The article describes seven most significant characteristics of the historical consciousness of Russians as factors strengthening the civil identity and the country’s sustainable development. The author argues that the book has both theoretical and practical significance due to being based on a comprehensive multi-aspect analysis of the historical consciousness and to providing grounds for a national strategy for sustainable development and for new approaches to teaching sociologists. The author makes some proposals of courses that would help younger generations of sociologists to develop critical thinking, historical consciousness, and sociological imagination.