Patriotism in Modern Conditions (Based on the Analysis of Data from Focus Group Studies Among Young People in the Republics of Bashkortostan and Tatarstan)

DOI: 10.33876/2311-0546/2025-4/41-53

Authors

Keywords:

Patriotism, youth, focus group, Russia, Republic of Bashkortostan, Republic of Tatarstan, Russian identity

Abstract

The article is based on data analysis from focus group studies of young people in the Republics of Bashkortostan and Tatarstan. This research method, due to the depth and quality of the information received, is recognized by ethnologists and sociologists as an important research tool that allows researchers to understand the attitudes of a particular population category to the problem under study, their mentality, and sometimes understand the true motives of human behavior. The analysis and interpretation of the data revealed several issues, trends and patterns related to patriotism, patriotic education, ethnic and all-Russian identity, attitudes to state and republican symbols, etc. Arguments about patriotism among almost all participants in the discussion were associated with love for the great and small Motherland, heroes of Russia and veterans of the Great Patriotic War. Among the factors uniting Russians, the Russian language, common history and territory of residence, a similar worldview, etc. were listed. The youth demonstrated a request for social justice, and some expressed uncertainty about the future and the fear of long-term planning. But in general, the vast majority of the participants in the focus groups called themselves patriots, demonstrating an active desire and were eager to work and serve for the sake of their homeland.

Author Biographies

  • Elza Migranova, Institute of History, Language and Literature Ufa Federal Research Center of the RAS

    Migranova, Elza V. — Ph.D. in History, Senior Researcher in the Department of Ethnology, Institute of History, Language and Literature Ufa Federal Research Center of the RAS (Ufa, Russian Federation). Е-mail: mig.el@mail.ru ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8227-2357

  • Aibulat Psyanchin, Institute of History, Language and Literature Ufa Federal Research Center of the RAS

    Psyanchin, Aibulat V. — Dr. of Geography, Head of the Department of Ethnology, Institute of History, Language and Literature Ufa Federal Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences. E-mail: psyanchin@mail.ru  ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1428-4337

    For citation: Migranova, E. V. and Psyanchin, A. V. 2025. Patriotism in Modern Conditions (Based on the Analysis of Data from Focus Group Studies Among Young People in the Republics of Bashkortostan and Tatarstan). Herald of Anthropology (Vestnik Antropologii) 4: 41–53.

    Funding: The article was prepared within the framework of the Program of Scientific research on the ethnocultural diversity of Russian society and aimed at strengthening Russian identity in 2023–2025 (headed by Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences V. A. Tishkov).

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Published

14.12.2025

Issue

No. 4 (2025): Herald of Anthropology (Vestnik antropologii)

Section

The Anthropology of Modern Society