“IDENTITIES PORTFOLIO” OF THE YOUTH OF THE SOUTHERN RUSSIA AFTER 12 YEARS

Abstract

The changes in the identification sphere of young people in the South of Russia are studied. The analysis is based on the comparison of mass surveys in 2009 and 2021, the effectiveness of identity politics in the region is evaluated. The hypothesis of the study was that at the beginning of the third decade of the 21st century, the all-Russian identity has significantly strengthened compared to the end of the first decade, and this would allow to move from assessing the situation as a “competition of identities” to their complementarity. The hypothesis was partially confirmed. The importance of all socio-cultural identities that make up the “portfolio of identities” of the youth of Russian South has noticeably decreased. Indirectly, this indicates the stabilization of the ethno-social and ethno-political situation - the mobilizing character of the identity has been reduced. However, no significant dynamics in strengthening the all-Russian identity was revealed. If ethnic Russian respondents demonstrated the equivalence of the all-Russian and ethnic identities, the respondents - representatives of the Caucasian peoples showed the persisting imbalance between the key socio-cultural identities - the all-Russian and ethnic - in favor of the ethnic one, and over 12 years the imbalance has increased...