Sociocultural Practical Aspects Of Youth Patriotism Formation

Abstract

The paper analyses sociocultural practical aspects of patriotism formation, and the demand for forms of youth patriotism formation. Patriotism has been always playing a special role in spiritual life of people in economic, political, social and cultural aspects. In some sense, patriotism is foundation of statesmanship, guarantee of effective functioning of the whole system of social and state institutes. Analysis of theoretical literature, positive experience and secondary analysis of questionnaires allowed concluding that youth requires patriotic education in cultural institutions using both traditional and modern forms of education. The authors believe that preservation and continuation of culture, history, national and spiritual unity can be provided by considering patriotism as an element of culture. Hence, one can use national topoi and images, Genio Loci, language as the voice of national nature, national games. The age of globalization and Europeanisation reformats values of Russia into social and cultural degradation and thus characterizes the absence of patriotism and total indifference of citizens regarding the future of their country. This was also facilitated by the transformation of value orientation in the 1990s when such historically developed values as love to the fatherland, duty to the homeland, volunteer service to the country ceased to be fundamental for Russian people. Came to the fore material wealth born by liberal ideology; material values became dominating over spiritual wealth. It could be especially observed in value orientation of younger generation; collectivism was forced out by individualism; the idea of empathy ceded to egocentrism.

Keywords: Individualismpatriotismglobalizationeducationculturevalues

Introduction

The new visual age has denoted itself by the shift of modern methods of transition of perception from verbal to visual, figural ones. The text of city space can be read ; it talks to a person by its visuality, by the codes of which speak sculptural monuments. In megapolices, as in many-faced blooms and in small country town as well, installations started appearing everywhere. Street graffiti, mural art as an image and sub-image can be used in media-education, in patriotic education as a text of simple symbols. Consequently, we can talk about creating tourist routes, formation of critical thinking, search of Genio Loci, quests. That is why the patriotic education of youth is a topical theoretical and practical task (Gachev, 2015).

Problem Statement

Today, in our homeland there is a trend of deviating from historical traditions in patriotic personality education. Those forms and technologies that were used by practicians are negatively perceived by modern youth. Despite this fact, the social and cultural practice shows that the youth has real interest in historical and cultural potential of the Russian Federation and traditional values. We believe that in the contemporary world, the historical and cultural potential of our country should play a large role in patriotic youth education, which will certainly require addressing to positive experience that was accumulated by previous generations.

Research Questions

Patriotic education is one of the most important and complex education spheres. This means that not only existing ideals, principles and worldview are formed in it, but also develop personal traits of rising generation. They include moral and psychological traits, civism, courage, cudacity, fairness, etc.

Purpose of the Study

To reveal currently demanded by youth form of sociocultural activity in terms of patriotic and civic education and relation of youth to patriotic and civic education

Research Methods

The first group of references is comprised of works by V.A. Sukhomlinskiy, K.D. Ushinskiy, T.N. Goryushin and others (Goriushin, 2006; Ushinskiy, 1948). The next group includes the analysis of sociocultural practical aspects regarding patriotic education (Kalimullina & Kalimullin, 2016; Kvasnykh & Sarzhanova, 2015; Teleshenko, 2004); the secondary analysis of questionnaires (tasks were given for diploma projects). Another group of literature sources consisted of regional and federal periodicals: Kultura, Zhivaia starina, Dom kultury, Spravochnik rukovoditelia uchrezhdeniya kultury, Prazdnik, Kultura: teoriya i praktika, Bibliotechnoe Delo.

Findings

In particular, the afore mentioned researchers differentiate the following directions of patriotic education of rising generation:

heroico-patriotic and historic-regional;

civil-right;

national-patriotic and spiritual-moral;

military-patriotic;

sport-patriotic (Goryushin, 2006).

The analysis of practice demonstrated that the patriotic education of youth is formed by the transition of oral lore, literature, various art genres, creative activities and participation in different social movements and associations.

Special sessions for children social associations, Republic program Fundamentals of leadership, Republic program SaMoStoyatelnye deti, crime prevention squads. State Program Patriotic, spiritual and moral education. In this direction, the following activities are planned: Patriotic song competition, Forum of Young Citizens, Week of Kindness initiative, exhibition of children drawings Descendants’ commemoration of the great victory; And so remembers the saved world, an intellectual and educational game devoted to the victory in WWII.

The development of ecological education This section plans Ecological month Ecology. Health. Sport, competition of ecological leaflets Save forests of Tatarstan!; competition of presentations Your mark on the planet, ecological voluntary Saturday work Day of Earth.

The patriotic education of rising generation is provided by family, local governments, government bodies, educational and recreational institutions.

The analysis of sociocultural experience has demonstrated that recreational institutions in terms of patriotic education tend to form in youth such traits as love to the fatherland, small homeland, nature, etc.

The essence of patriotic education in cultural institutions was and remains in the youth’s consciousness like the love to homeland, their city of village, nature. Of course, the impact of society and activity of recreational institutions on the formation of patriotism is large.

The analysis of scientific literature on the topic has shown that there are three spheres of youth patriotic education:

1.Emotional-resolute. It includes such social traits as activity, humbleness, responsibility, honesty and other.

2.Cognitive-civic knowledge: legal rights of citizens, panhuman values, etc.

3.Motivational. It includes civic attitude to labor, society, people, state and civic positions (Kvasnykh & Sarzhanova, 2015; Bazhin, 2014).

The secondary analysis of questionnaires among youngsters of several regions of Republic of Tatarstan gives space for discussion on motivation and demand to take part in different initiatives connected with patriotism. In particular, the questionnaires contained such questions as What is patriotism? Do you think you are a patriot? What traits should a patriot have? Do you know you country's history? Do you know your people's traditions? What activities organized by recreational institutions you would like to take part in? Are you proud of your country? Define the term homeland. Who do you believe you are? To your mind, does our country pay enough attention to the patriotic education of youth? As a Russian citizen, what are you the most proud of? From you perspective, how most prominently manifests the patriotism of youth? How often do you participate in activities devoted to civic and patriotic education?

The survey involved 50 persons aged as follows: 65% of 14–20 y.o., 35% 20–30 y.o. The distribution of education level: 80% are senior school and college students? 20% are working youngsters. The majority of respondents answered the question on what patriotism is that it is the love to homeland. To the question if they think they are patriots 60% answered “yes”, 35% answered “no”. To the question what traits should a patriot have the answer was to defend your homeland, know and value history, traditions and customs of people. However to the question whether they know the history of their country 50% answered “yes” and 40% “no” which puts on alert, because to the previous question they replied that a patriot should know and value history, traditions and customs of their people. Among the activities organized by recreational institutions, the youth prefer to meet veterans of Great Patriotic War (35%), patriotic festivals and competitions (30%), military sports activities (15%), etc. To the question if they are proud of their country 70% answered “yes”, 20% answered “no”. To the question on who do you think you are, fortunately 70% answered “a citizen of Russia”, 25% answered “a citizen of my city, district”. The youngsters believe that in our country not enough attention is paid to patriotic and civic education of youth. As the citizens of Russia our youth is proud of victory in the Great Patriotic War (80%), history of the country and cultural heritage, belonging to their nationality, natural resources of the country and less by the position of Russia in world community. To the question of how often and actively they take part in activities devoted to patriotic education the respondents from middle schools mostly answered “once a month”. The young workers answered twice or trice a year. To the question of how does the youth patriotism manifest, the respondents mentioned military duty (75%).

The main goal of patriotic education of youth is development of civic consciousness, patriotism, spiritual and moral values, loyalty to constitution and military duty.

Considering all the above one should note that the youth considers necessary patriotic education in cultural institutions using both traditional and modern forms.

The preservation and continuation of history, national and spiritual unity can be provided by considering patriotism as an element of culture. Consequently, one can use national topoi and images, Genio Loci, language as the voice of national nature, national games.

Many of the respondents have noted that they would like to take part in the activities on patriotic education. Among the questions, the most demanded form is meeting the participants of the Great Patriotic War and homefront workers.

Certainly, the patriotic education is a dedicated pedagogic process that is destined to organize diverse activities for youth in cultural institutions to deliver public experience, value-conscious relations and patriotic traditions. In fact, the patriotic education is an issue of public education (Gachev, 2015). The decline in educational potential of culture, art and schooling led to appreciable change in the attitude of the young generation to spiritual and moral values, priorities, ideals, history and its value. Especially worrying is the loss of patriotic values in modern youth.

According to the analysis of questionnaires and with due regards of all above, a clear trend for youth is the defense of their homeland. Obviously, this is one of the main criteria in patriotic education of youth. The youngsters that regularly visit recreational institutions gradually undergo the formation of the system of personal values, which includes the sphere of communication, attitude to people and evaluation of these people, plus self-esteem.

As of today, the factors that affect the patriotic education of rising generation are as follows.

1.External. The globalization processes in the sociocultural environment of the country that negatively impact the formation of patriotism.

2.Internal. Connected with the changes in Russia. The spiritual, socially-political and economic sphere of the society was negatively affected by the break-up of USSR. New state has formed, the Russian Federation. The value and moral focus shifted, which disturbed the bond between generations. For modern youth, the love to homeland and duty to the country ceased to be the focus. This lead to de-patriotization and disintegration of the Russian nation. The society manifests negative trends: egoism, indifference, disregard.

The analysis shows that the historical experience of patriotic education of youth tells that the modern and adequate impact of personality in different historical conditions played an important role. Hence, the contemporary practisers and theoricians should more carefully study those factors that affect the improvement of educational capabilities and timely make necessary turn and correctly control different engaged educational forces.

In modern world, to unleash your individuality, one should be socially active and capable of creative activities in recreational sphere. Social activity unites social personal traits that can interact with both environment and various visitors of cultural institutions. Evidently, the goals of patriotic education is creation of favorable conditions for self-fulfillment of youth, their cultural, physical, moral and intellectual development.

Conclusion

In the concluding part of the paper we would like to note that in the contemporary world, the patriotic education of youth is affected by the weakening of historical and cultural continuation, changes in the Russian history, underestimation of country’s achievements over the previous period, underrating the role of the people during the Great Patriotic War, which negatively impacts the level of patriotic cognition, historical continuation of generations, spirituality culture. Certainly, patriotism has historical roots and value. The patriotic education should be based on such principles as systematicity, targeting and activity.

References

1. Bazhin, K.S., Simonova, G. I., Hodyreva, E.A. (2014). State and perspectives of patriotic education of youth in modern Russia. Concept. 2014. Retrieved from: http://e-koncept.ru/2014/14360.htm
2. Gachev, G.D. (2015). Cosmo-psycho-logos: National images of the world. Мoscow: Akadem. Prospect. 154-208.
3. Goryushin, T.N. (2006). Patriotic education. Saint Petersburg.
4. Kalimullina, G.Kh., Kalimullin, D.D. (2016). Public associations as a factor of formation of youth civil culture. Sociocultural activity: vectors of research and practical perspectives: Proc. Intern. Sci. & Pract. Conf. 2016, 53-56.
5. Kvasnykh, G.S., Sarzhanova, A.N. (2015). Patriotic education. of students in modern university. Vector of Science of Tolyatti State University. Series: Pedagogy, psychology, 1, 87-90.
6. Teleshenko, L. (2004). Relevance of patriotic education of rising generation. Retrieved from: http://www.maam.ru/detskijsad/-aktualnost-patrioticheskogo-vospitanija-podrastayuschego-pokolenija.html
7. Ushinskiy, K.D. (1948). On the moral element in Russian education / Collection: 11 volumes. V. 2. Pedagogical papers. years 1857–1861. M.-L.