Ethnic identity of Chechen students: Research outcomes
The article explores the current state of ethnic identity of students in the Chechen Republic. The research is relevant for social psychology since it reflects the need to preserve ethno-cultural traditions and form a positive ethnic identity of young people. The article presents the results of a study of ethnic identity of 360 students aged 18 to 28 from the Chechen State Pedagogical University. The research methodology includes a set of tools developed by N. M. Lebedeva and A. N. Tatarko “Valence and definiteness of ethnic identity” as well as the methodology of G. U. Soldatova and S. V. Ryzhova “Types of ethnic identity”. It is shown that students are characterized by a pronounced positive ethnic identity. Behind this positive result is the need to identify with their ethnic group and the need for consolidation. Another reason is the dominance of ethnic interests and goals combined with optimism about the future of interethnic relations based on trust and mutual understanding between peoples. The paper presents a comparative analysis of gender and age differences in positivity, certainty, and types of ethnic identity - ethnic indifference, positive ethnic identity, ethnic nihilism, ethnic isolationism, ethnic egoism, and ethnic fanaticism - among Chechen students. Thus, positive ethnic identity is higher among female respondents who also show a more pronounced optimism about the future of inter-ethnic relations. Male respondents tend to have higher rates of ethnocentric tendencies such as ethnic egoism, ethnic isolationism, and ethnic fanaticism. With age, the positivity of ethnic identity among Chechen students decreases, which leads, on the one hand, to an increase in indifference to their ethnicity, and, on the other, to an increase in ethnocentrism with the dominance of ethnic interests and goals.