SOCIAL IDEAS OF PROVINCIAL YOUTH ABOUT TERRORISM

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to describe the dominant social ideas of the provincial youth about terrorism. On the basis of a brief analysis of the main theoretical positions, general features of terrorism in the modern world are highlighted: the creation of a situation of panic, alarm, fear, danger, threat; conscious choice of a place to commit a terrorist act in order to maximize the effect; depersonification of the identity of a terrorist; global and unlimited scope of activities. The article presents the results of sociological studies of social ideas of provincial youth about terrorism. The research methodology the author’s conducted research focus groups with three social groups of young people made it possible to form the basic characteristics of the social ideas of the provincial youth on terrorism. The study took groups that differ in such grounds as the level of education. All participants in the focus group study can be divided into three groups: those who receive secondary vocational education; bachelor students; master students and postgraduate students. Results of the study the analysis allowed the authors to formulate a number of provisions that characterize: general awareness of provincial youth on terrorism; emotional attitude to terrorism; an assessment of the severity of the terrorist threat in their hometown, country, and the world as a whole; optimal measures to prevent terrorist events in educational institutions; ideas about the motives of youth involvement in terrorist communities.