Ethnic Extremism in the Youth Environment: Diagnostics and Overcoming Prospects

Abstract

Valentin Babintsev — Head of the Chair for Social Technologies, Institute of State and Municipal Administration, Belgorod State University. Address: 85, Pobedy St., Belgorod, 308015, Russian Federation. E-mail: Babintsev@bsu.edu.ru

Boris Zalivanskiy — Associate Professor, Chair for Social Technologies, Institute of State and Municipal Administration, Belgorod State University. Address: 85, Pobedy St., Belgorod, 308015, Russian Federation. E-mail: zalivansky@bsu.edu.ru

Elena Samokhvalova — Senior Lecturer, Chair for Social Technologies, Institute of State and Municipal Administration, Belgorod State University. Address: 85, Pobedy St., Belgorod, 308015, Russian Federation. E-mail: Samokhvalova@bsu.edu.ru

The authors analyze the reasons behind the growing ethnic extremism and xenophobia among the youth and offer some thoughts on how these negative phenomena can be overcome. They also reveal some features of youth consciousness, which, without being inherently extremist, form a predisposition to extremist beliefs and actions, namely: the deformation of national identification; an excessively critical perception of international relations and consequently national policy; a painful reaction to poverty and social injustice; national intolerance at the household level; ethnic stereotypes; ethno cultural distance; situational intolerance of the younger age; the unwillingness to share resources; and an aversion to uncontrollable migration. Thus, in modern social conditions Russian youths acts as a potential source of extremism and xenophobia.

At the same time current approaches to countering these negative phenomena suffer from the over-simplicity of their organizational schemes and preventive actions. Namely, they are: inadequate goal setting, which comes from essentially utopian and overestimated expectations; orientation towards a combination of two forms of counteraction to extremism and xenophobia — administrative measures and educational work; and the inability to target those particular groups which are the most probable carriers of such social deviations.

According to the authors under such circumstances it is necessary to change the approach to the problem substantially. More precisely, provide a solution to the following important problems: demythologization of the process of growing extremism, xenophobia and the technologization of counter-measures to these negative phenomena. Such a radical solution can be achieved only through a change in priorities of social development in certain regions, as well as society as a whole. A particular management strategy is required which is oriented towards the social market and personality, and which is perceived by the youth as socially just. It is only under such circumstances that the social norms, given from society to its youth, may turn into the norms of socialization — internalized in personality and forming the basis of life strategies.