Factors of Formation of National Identity in Russia (Case of Moscow Students)

The present study aimed at investigating factors of national identity formation among Moscow students. Previous studies claim that students are rejecting the government’s function of national identity construction. Then, this study reveal the aspects of national identity formation processes in minds of Moscow students. The inconsistency between the instruments and factors of governmental identity policy aims and “real” identity formation process was detected. In the first part, the literature review, conceptualization and operationalization of the key concepts of the work was presented, in the second part, the results of the survey, which was attended by 228 students, were described. The results revealed a partial discrepancy between the tools and factors of the goals of the state identity policy and the process of forming a "real" identity. It also turned out that students tend to be contradictory in assessing the factors of the formation of the all-Russian identity: in the context of state measures, they criticize them; without context they approve and note the importance of such measures.