The future image as a component of political subjective space: testing the conceptual model

The future image as a component of political subjective space: testing the conceptual model



Article received: 2024.05.28 11:20. Accepted: 2024.07.10 11:21


DOI: 10.17976/jpps/2024.05.05
EDN: OODZWP


For citation:

Samarkina I.V., Bashmakov I.S., Kolozov D.P., Kuzmenko N.P. The future image as a component of political subjective space: testing the conceptual model. – Polis. Political Studies. 2024. No. 5. https://doi.org/10.17976/jpps/2024.05.05. EDN: OODZWP (In Russ.)


The reported study was funded by the Russian Science Foundation according to the research project № 24-28-00660 “Russian new citizens' image of the future: content, models and practices of formation in the conditions of modern Russian society consolidation”.


Abstract

The image of the future of youth is described in this paper and its relationship with the subjective space of politics is identified. The article provides a brief analysis of research on the image of the future within the framework of social and political sciences, describes the main theoretical approaches to analyzing the future image of youth. The authors give their own conceptual definition of the future image as a component of the political subjective space, a set of symbolic, ideological and cultural meanings that determine the orientation and behavior of various political actors. The authors as a methodology use focus group interviews, online questionnaires of youth representatives in order to verify the conceptual model of the study. The dynamic nature of the future image as a part of political subjective space is determined by a system of institutions, agents and factors of socialization. Five key components have been identified in the structure of the future image: content, value, emotions, activity and technology. Four projection levels of the future image are defined: personal, group, projection at the level of the macro community and global. The study indicates the predominance of personal projection in the respondents' ideas about the future. Despite the presence of worries and fears for their personal future, young people are generally confident in their own future and believe that the Russian state will continue to play an important role as a world power. An important characteristic of the future image is the subjectivity of its bearer, the degree of activity or proactivity and the willingness to take responsibility for their own future and the future of their families, local community, region, country, and the world. Locus control, that is, a subjective assessment of the factors (personal efforts or external circumstances) on which the future depends, according to the study, is associated with the degree of confidence in the future, the formation of a positive future image. The predominance of civic identity in the hierarchy of identities is also revealed. Young people feel responsible for the future of their country. At the moment, Russian civic identity has a positive impact on the future image of young people. It is significant that among students studying in the Luhansk People's Republic, the level of concern about the future is higher, the level of civil identity is lower, which indicates that the task of forming civil identity should be prioritized in the new regions of the Russian Federation.

 

Keywords
future image, subjective space of politics, youth, civic identity, political subjectivity, life trajectories, political world view.


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Content No. 5, 2024

See also:


Samarkina I.V., Miroshnichenko I.V., Borisko O.A.,
The subjective space of youth policy: theoretical model and regional projections (the case of the Krasnodar territory). – Polis. Political Studies. 2022. No5

Semenenko I.S.,
«Homo politicus» facing alternative political developments: rethinking the individual dimension of politics. – Polis. Political Studies. 2012. No6

Samarkina I.V., Bashmakov I.S.,
Local Identity and Mechanisms of its Conversion into Constructive Socio-Political Practices of Youth. – Polis. Political Studies. 2021. No2

Smorgunov L.V.,
Political identity and the concept of the political. – Polis. Political Studies. 2012. No6

Semenenko I.S.,
Dilemmas of national identity: political risks and social inputs. – Polis. Political Studies. 2009. No6


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