Lyutenko, I. V. (2023), “Sociocultural orientations of students of the Belgorod region with non-traditional religiosity (sociological experience)”, Research result. Sociology and management, 9 (2), 43-57.

Òåêñò ñòàòüè íà ñàéòå æóðíàëà URL: http://rrsociology.ru/journal/annotation/3121/ (äàòà îáðàùåíèÿ 18.07.2023)

Abstract

The relevance of studying the phenomenon of new (non-traditional) religions and mystical teachings is due to changes in the religious landscape, which must be studied using new methodological developments of non-traditional religiosity. The article presents the results of the sociological research “How Belgorod Region Lives”, carried out by the Department of Ethno-demographic, Religious and Integration Processes of the RAS FNIC. The object of the research is students studying at four institutions of higher education in Belgorod. The article is focused on the possible impact of the worldview foundations of non-traditional religiosity on some socio-cultural attitudes of the students of the Belgorod region. To determine the level of non-traditional religiosity, we used a methodology based on methodological and methodical principles that allowed us to identify groups of respondents with non-traditional religiosity. The “practicing” and “non-practicing” typological groups were selected based on the resulting indicators of religious consciousness and religious behavior. The resulting indicator of religious consciousness consists of the following indicators: non-traditional religious beliefs, interest in non-traditional religions and teachings, and motivation for interest in non-traditional and mystical teachings. The resulting indicator of religious behavior: involvement in the vital activities of the practices of non-traditional religious teachings, awareness of the activities of non-traditional religions and mystical teachings, involvement in the vital activities of the practices of these religions and teachings. The group of interested in non-traditional religious teachings comprises 40% of the youth surveyed. Of these, 32% are “practitioners” and 68% are “non-practitioners”. The micro-environment influences attitudes towards religion, nationalities, faiths, migration, etc. The “practicing” youth have significantly more acquaintances, relatives, and friends who study or practice these teachings compared to the “non-practicing” youth (30% and 10%, respectively). It should be noted that young people included in the practice of non-traditional, Eastern religions and teachings have a deeper motivation of interest in these religious teachings, according to all key indicators. The results of the empirical analysis showed the impact of the respondent's non-traditional religiosity on some religious, national, ethno-confessional, and migration orientations. It was revealed that in relation to religious organizations of traditional confessions, “practitioners” are more skeptical compared to “non-practitioners”. The “practitioners” are more negative in their evaluations of the Russian Orthodox Church and Muslim communities, and they note the “clericalization” of public relations more than the “non-practitioners” group. In the sphere of national relations in the typological group “practitioners”, the level of tolerance towards ethno-confessional marriages is slightly higher than in the group of “non-practitioners”. In both groups the majority of respondents have a positive attitude towards representatives of other nationalities. The data recorded that almost half of the respondents expressed a desire to move to other regions of Russia. At the same time, a third of Belgorod residents in the groups “practicing” and “non-practicing” plan to leave the region for good. The reasons for migration in both groups are mainly of a professional nature: career growth and improvement of the quality of professional activity. Young people in the “practitioners” group are more motivated to move by all indicators compared to the “non-practitioners”. The interest in non-traditional, Eastern religions and mystical teachings among young people in Belgorod is significant, but at the same time has little effect on their life activities, as 40% are interested in these religious teachings, of which only 5% are fully included in the practices of these teachings.