Home – Home – Jornals – "Philosophy of Education" 2018 number 3

Introduction . During the period of adolescence and youth, an attitude towards the Motherland and society is laid, social practices begin to be developed, initiative and responsibility are formed. Our fifteen-year experience in holding the All-Russian competition of author's youth projects and projects in the field of education aimed at the social and economic development of Russian territories «My country is my Russia» (2003-2018) demonstrates that civil identity as a dynamic phenomenon and simultaneously a complex one is formed in a young man in the process of acquiring civil experience - experience of participation in the life of his/her country, regions (cities and villages), and local communities. In this regard, it is important for the society and state not to miss the chance «to upbring a responsible and initiative citizen», to form civil identity of a teenager and a young man. It also actualizes special tasks before the education system and state youth policy. The article presents an analysis of approaches to the definition of the concept of «civil identity» as a personal quality necessary for the formation of the younger generation, as well as the author's view on the ways of its formation. Methodology and methods of the research. In preparing the materials for the paper, we used the methods of analysis of scientific sources, content analysis of youth social projects, and a qualitative analysis of pedagogical practice. The empirical base was the results of several competitive events: the All-Russian competition of author's youth projects and projects in the field of education «My country is my Russia» (2003-2018), the contest to identify the best pedagogical experience aimed at the formation of civic identity of students (2017), as well as the data of the sociological survey of the authors of youth projects held in autumn 2017 (the number of respondents was 1,004 people). Results of the research. The scientific novelty of the article is that it presents an author's view on the notion of civic identity of the younger generation on the basis of an interdisciplinary analysis of approaches to the concept and study of pedagogical practice. The analysis of works on the problem of research has shown that in science there are several basic directions regarding the understanding of the essence and structure of the civil identity of the individual. The study is based on the understanding that the formation of civil identity takes place in three aspects: ethnic, all-Russian and general cultural. Based on the analysis of a wide range of sources, the concept of «civic identity» is defined as the key socio-cultural and worldview quality of the individual, manifested in the conscious acceptance by the individual of his/her belonging to a particular state, his/her socio-legal system and culture, to self-identify him/herself with the carriers of a certain worldview, way of thinking and behavior. Conclusion . The question of the formation of the civil identity of the younger generation is considered in the study as a matter of education, implemented in the process of realizing the practices of transferring socio-cultural experience and activating intergenerational ties. In our case, such practices are socially significant youth projects of the All-Russian competition «My country is my Russia». The article is of practical importance, since it shows the opportunities for the formation of the civil identity of the younger generation, which is important in the pedagogical and management practices of the managers and specialists in the education system and youth policy.