Youth in Former Soviet Republics in Conditions of Value Transformation of Society (Case Study of Russia and Armenia)
Value orientations of the older generation (over 55 years of age) are well-established, and, as a rule, they are influenced by the worldview that developed in the Soviet time. As for young people, their life ideas relating to various manifestations of social reality are still actively forming. In th...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Russian Academy of Sciences, Vologda Research Center
2018-07-01
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| Series: | Economic and Social Changes: Facts, Trends, Forecast |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://esc.vscc.ac.ru/article/2675/full?_lang=en |
| Summary: | Value orientations of the older generation (over 55 years of age) are well-established, and, as a rule, they are influenced by the worldview that developed in the Soviet time. As for young people, their life ideas relating to various manifestations of social reality are still actively forming. In this regard, the two generations have certain differences in their sets of values. It is interesting and important to study them because young people perceive their current status and opportunities as being completely natural, while for their parents much of what looks normal and routine now was completely inaccessible in the years of their youth. The article considers value orientations of young people from former Soviet countries by highlighting their similarities and differences in comparison to those of the older generation. We are particularly interested in the views on the life and mindset of young people who represent a generation oriented toward modernization changes in society. Using research data, the paper attempts to find a determining vector of spiritual development of young people. The study is based on the analysis of secondary data of sociological surveys conducted in the Russian Federation and in the Republic of Armenia. Youth and the older generation are the objects of comparison in the surveys. The study not only identifies common features in the value consciousness of two generations in Russia and Armenia, but also substantiates the nature and importance of the impact of socio-cultural factors on the vital values of young people. It is established that intergenerational differences in socio-cultural determinants affect the attitude toward personal prospects in life and family, income, education, etc. The results of the study allow us to determine the direction of changes in young people’s value orientations. Trends in the cultural and spiritual development of youth in both countries reflect an intergenerational shift from the focus on economic and physical security to the increasing role of self-expression, subjective well-being and the quality of life, which ambiguously affects social well-being. In particular, the correlation analysis has established the inverse relationship between people’s Internet activity and their confidence in the future. This suggests that the behavior of young people who “immerse” deeply in the Internet space is fraught with manifestations of social apathy. In conclusion, we present our own reflections on the need to intensify intercultural dialogue between former Soviet republics and participate jointly in addressing youth policy issues |
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| ISSN: | 2307-0331 2312-9824 |