MODERN STUDENTS’ CIVIL CULTURE: SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH EXPERIENCE 

Vorob'ev Vladimir Pavlovich, Doctor of sociological sciences, professor, sub-department of state administration and regional sociology, Penza State University (40 Krasnaya street, Penza, Russia), vvp@sura.ru
Pavlova Svetlana Mikhaylovna, Postgraduate student, Penza State University (40 Krasnaya street, Penza, Russia), Smpavlova2013@gmail.com

316.45

10.21685/2072-3016-2016-4-14

Background. Changes in the system of higher education, caused by Russia’s accession into the Bologna process and integration into the world scientific and in higher education, including the changing students’ role and status. In particular, these processes have provided more opportunities for student participation in the management of the educational process through the development of students’ selfgovernance. Participation in such public activities as students’ self-governance has an impact on personal qualities development and on the level of students’ civil activity. The goal of the study is to analyze the impact of young people’s participation in students’ self-governance on their civic culture formation.
Materials and methods. The research tasks were implemented on the basis of results of a sociological analysis carried out in 2015 by a questionnaire survey among representatives of Penza region’s youth. A special place in the present study framework is devoted to a comparison of young people, who have experience in students’ self-governance activities and young people, who don’t have this experience, the views and opinions of the two groups vary on a number of issues such as: attitude to the state’s role in society, the level of institutional trust, etc.
Results. The analysis results have shown paternalism and civic activism manifestations by both modern students and individual groups.
Conclusions. Participation in students’ self-governance correlates with high civil activity of young people, with the level of patriotism, initiative and independence manifestation. Despite slight differences in the answers, the students’ self-governance representatives demonstrate a greater degree of participation in socially important events, turn out to be more independent, often express confidence that they can change the world and show more trust in public institutions. From this viewpoint, the experience of youth participation in students’ self-governance activities can be considered as an important factor in the formation of its civic engagement.

student youth, students’ self-governance, student, civil society, civil activity, civil culture, world outlook

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