The influence of patriotic education on the image of a patriot among young people (using the example of the Yaroslavl region)

Abstract

In modern conditions of globalization and the introduction of the Internet into the daily life of young people, there is a blurring of the value of patriotism in the mass consciousness of young people. This process takes place in the time when one of the main directions of the implementation of the national state youth policy is directly related to patriotic education. The article is based on the materials of a sociological study of the subjective understanding of patriotism in the minds of regional youth involved in the process of patriotic education. On a targeted sample, 345 respondents aged 14 to 30, living in the Yaroslavl region and carrying out activities within the framework of patriotic education, were interviewed. The results of the empirical study lead to a number of conclusions. First, the vast majority of the surveyed respondents identify themselves as patriots of their country. At the same time, girls are more willing than boys to call themselves patriots. Secondly, a clear idea of patriotism has not been formed in the minds of young people. Thirdly, the associative component is also poorly represented in the image of a patriot - the respondents could not name a “true” patriot and an “antipatriot”, which indicates the absence of a single reference group in the youth environment. Fourthly, the main feature of young people, involved in the process of patriotic education, reveals the fact that they do not only identify themselves as patriots, but are also ready for active volunteer work as well. Fifth, respondents highly appreciate the work of state institutions specializing in patriotic education. As a recommendation, we can propose to pay more attention to the introduction of modern multimedia technologies in the educational sphere.