Russian nation-building policy and historical memory of urban youth in the Russian Arctic zone (on opinion polls in Pomorie)

Abstract

The article examines data from sociological surveys of young residents in the Arkhangelsk agglomeration (Pomorye, territory of the Arctic zone of Russia). Particular emphasis is made on indicators characterizing the state of historical memory and assessments in relation to the historical education of persons aged 18-25. The materials are presented in the context of the fundamental provisions of the Russian nation-building policy of the early 2020s and in their connection with modern concepts of patriotism and civic identity. The data is also compared with nationwide surveys on similar topics during the same period. In general, the trend towards strengthening the all-Russian civic identity of young people is confirmed, parallel to the trend towards a decrease in «regional» patriotism. However, there is no unity among young people in understanding the very concept of a civil nation and the foundations of its formation. It is also confirmed that the identified trend is one of the foundations of the problematic state of basic historical education of young people, and especially acute in terms of knowledge of regional history. At the same time, the youth of the region are, on the one hand, the bearer of a potentially high interest in the history of the country and region, and on the other hand, they realize it at the basic level of historical memory, i.e. at the level of family history. The results of the study indicate that young people will objectively demand a more active use of such tools for stimulating, supporting and satisfying interest in history, such as museum projects and cinema. These industries, along with historical education at school, are considered as the main tools for the formation of emotionally charged historical memory as the basis for a developed civic identity and «active patriotism» among the generation that in the next decade will form the basis of the political, economic, scientific and cultural elite of the Russian Federation.