Patriotism, civicism in politics and identity of youth

The article includes a theoretical and practical part. In the theoretical part, an attempt is made to determine the role of patriotism and citizenship in the policy of macroidentity, and the related issues are clarified. A review of the main approaches to the definition of patriotism as a political phenomenon, theoretical models and typologies proposed by Western scientists - recognized experts in this field is made. The practical part describes some of the key parameters of the patriotic and civic self-identification of young people, their relationship with critical and active citizenship. The empirical basis of the study is the data of a questionnaire survey (n = 1,364) of Tyumen youth aged 16 to 30, conducted in November - December 2019. The sample is representative in terms of sex and age (error within 5%), formed by a spontaneous selection of respondents. For statistical data processing, the analysis of contingency tables, as well as cluster analysis (k-means method) was used. Three groups of young people were singled out depending on their patriotic selfidentification: identifying themselves as patriots, classifying themselves as patriots only in part, and not considering themselves patriots. The patriotic aspect of self-identification correlates with three groups of citizenship parameters: critical citizenship, responsible citizenship, and active citizenship. Cluster analysis made it possible to classify respondents according to a set of parameters that characterize critical citizenship. Based on this, in groups with different patriotic orientations, two categories of respondents were identified - loyal and critically oriented. The conclusion is made about the intersection of patriotic identity and civic orientations of young people in terms of civic obligations and responsibilities, as well as in relation to formal symbolic behavior demonstrating loyalty to various actors representing the macropolitical community. Attitudes associated with critical citizenship, on the contrary, reduce the degree of young people’s identification as patriots. Respondents who do not consider themselves patriots are characterized by an increased level of criticality -they negatively assess the situation with political rights and freedoms in the country, trust the authorities less, but are more interested in the opportunity to influence and control it. The author declares no conflicts of interests.

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