Political moods of Russian youth: common state and distinctive features

The following article highlights the applied aspect of studying of political moods. The author gives definition of under investigation phenomena on the grounds of theoretical analysis of approaches of sociologists to studying of political moods. The applied aspect of given work is connected with analysis of results gathered during initiative all-Russian poll which was conducted on December 15–25 of 2017. The poll was executed among young people in the age of 18–30 years old. The survey was conducted online. According to the author’s definition, political moods include the following categories: political attitudes, political expectations and political behaviour. Given categories provide the basis for formation of indicator groups, on which the author’s survey is conducted. The following indicators express political attitudes: interest to politics, attitudes to democracy, interaction with the authority and their evaluation, evaluation of political atmosphere and attitudes towards opposition. Political expectations are understood as the set of the following indicators: expectations from authority and from presidential elections in March 2018. Politically directed behaviour is understood as intention to participate personally in politics and the forms of participation, readiness to vote and to participate in protest actions. The author offers to review the results of her survey, in which it is emphasized on demography features of political moods of Russian youth. By results of the survey, it was revealed that political moods of Russian youth are contradictory: on the one hand, young people give neutral-negative evaluations of political reality, on the other hand, they are set-up to stability and at the same time, they demonstrate low political activity.

1. Interes k politike [Interest to politics]. URL: https://wciom.ru/zh/print_q.php?s_id=727&q_id=52632&date=12.06.2011 (accessed: 13.02.2018) (in Russian).

2. Interes molodezhi k politike [Interest of the youth to politics]. URL: http://fom.ru/Politika/13285 (accessed: 13.02.2018) (in Russian).

3. Molodezh’ i politika: tochki soprikosnovenija [Politics and the youth: points of contact]. URL: https://wciom.ru/index.php?id=236&uid=116312 (accessed: 03.03.2018) (in Russian).

4. Narod hochet pozhestche [People want it tougher]. URL: https://www.levada.ru/2017/07/05/narod-hochet-pozhestche/ (accessed: 02.03.2018) (in Russian).

5. Nepoliticheskaja nacija [Non-political nation]. URL: https://www.levada.ru/2017/04/13/nepoliticheskaya-natsiya/ (accessed: 15.02.2018) (in Russian).

6. Ol’shanskij D.V. Massovye nastroenija v politike [Mass moods in politics]. M., 1995 (in Russian).

7. Ol’shanskij D.V. Osnovy politicheskoj psihologii [The basics of political psychology]. Ekaterinburg, 2001 (a) (in Russian).

8. Ol’shanskij D.V. Psihologija mass [Psychology of the mass]. SPb., 2001 (b) (in Russian).

9. Oppozicija: neobhodimost’, uznavaemost’ i doverie [Opposition: necessity, recognition and trust]. URL: https://www.levada.ru/2016/03/14/oppozitsiya-neobhodimost-uznavaemost-i-doverie/ (accessed: 02.03.2018) (in Russian).

10. Plotnikova T.V. Politicheskoe povedenie v Rossii: Monografija [Political behavior in Russia] / Otv. red. Ju.G. Volkov. Rostov n/D., 2004 (in Russian).

11. Politicheskaja socializacija rossijskih grazhdan v period transformacii [Political socialization of the Russians in the period of transformation] / Pod red. E.B. Shestopal. M., 2008 (in Russian).

12. Rossijane nazvali otsutstvie zaboty o prostyh ljudjah glavnym minusom Putina [The Russians named lack of care about ordinary people as the main Putin disadvantage]. URL: https://www.levada.ru/2017/11/20/rossiyane-nazvali-otsutstvie-zaboty-o-prostyh-lyudyah-glavnym-minusom-putina/ (accessed: 03.03.2018) (in Russian).

13. Rossijane snova nadejutsja na svetloe budushhee [The Russians hope for the best again]. URL: https://www.levada.ru/2018/02/16/rossiyane-snova-nadeyutsya-na-svetloe-budushhee/ (accessed: 03.03.2018) (in Russian).

14. Samyj nadezhnyj prognoz [The most trustful forecast]. URL: https://www.levada.ru/2017/06/20/samyj-nadezhnyj-prognoz/ (accessed: 02.03.2018) (in Russian).

15. Toshhenko Zh.T., Harchenko S.V. Social’noe nastroenie [Social mood]. M., 1996 (in Russian).

16. Vlijanie televizora [Influence of television]. URL: https://www.levada.ru/2017/08/21/vliyanie-televizora/ (accessed: 02.03.2018) (in Russian).

17. Vzaimodejstvie grazhdan i gosudarstva [Interaction of citizens and the Government]. URL: https://www.levada.ru/2015/04/06/vzaimodejstvie-grazhdan-i-gosudarstva/ (accessed: 02.03.2018) (in Russian).