The Role of Historical memory in the Political Socialization Process of Russian Citizens

The article deals with the role of historical memory in the process of national identification. The analysis is based on the idea of national identity as at the same time of social and cultural phenomenon and a product of deliberate design. The article states the presence in Russia of an unsurmounted until today identity crisis, which affected first of all the young generation of Russians. The identity crisis, which took place in Russia in the 90-s destroyed the system of values and symbols dominating in the society without giving anything to replace this system. The crisis destroyed not only the structure of rational values and standards dominating the society, but also the system of traditional cultural symbols and stereotypes laid down in it. In search of the new identities one looks into history, which becomes the existential space, where persons and groups try to find their own identities, the new meaning of life, the new base for identification with the society. My-thologized historical events serve as symbols of the historical myths, which become at the same time the base for forming and the mode of existence of new cultural, social and political communities. The investigation shows that the process of national identification as a significant part of political socialization should not be accepted as spontaneous. If any social or political institutions did not propose the young generation positive symbols which could help them to identify themselves as citizens of the state and accept the adequate system of political values, in these circumstances they spontaneously find a lot of negative ones. These negative symbols born in mass consciousness are taken by some political actors, publicized by mass media and thus become means for the manipulation of political orientations and mass political behavior. In conclusion the author declares the need for state historical policy whose images and symbols could contribute to the process of self-identification of the young Russian citizen.

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