Barash R. Historical memory and historical competence of the Russia’s citizens: the sociological dimension. The Digital Scholar: Philosopher’s Lab. 2021. Vol. 4. No. 4. P. 93-103.

Abstract

Applying to the results of the sociological survey, developed by the FCTAS RAS and devoted to the study ofthe peculiarities of the historical memory of the contemporary Russia’s citizens and their perception of the national historical symbols, the author emphasizes the empirical data that demonstrate the decline both of the citizens’ level of historical competence and a sense of pride towards almost all key historical events. Awareness of the states' history is naturally weaking and most popular symbols of national pride are gradually fading into the past. Whereas recent historical events are hardly perceived as socially significant and important. There is also a gradual deideologization of historical knowledge; one can see that Soviet and non-Soviet components are tightly intertwined within the framework of socially recognized values. Although the interest towards the historical past is quite high among the Russia’s citizens they are hardly interested in serious historical research. Themain sources of historical information are journalistic and non-scientific materials: historical feature films, documentaries and serials, as well as the Internet. Interest towards family history is gradually increasing, family memory is increasingly turning into a serious source not only of information about national history, but also into a factor that determines the attitude towards the official version of national history and towards civic identity. At the same time, the absence of a painful obsession in the Russian society, especially among young people, on the past clearly testifies to a constructive desire to assess the past, avoid a “war for history.”