Formation of the National Identity of Modern Ukrainian Youth: the Cultural Dimension

Abstract

Today, Ukraine faces a number of challenges, including: protection of territorial integrity, formation of a nation, and increasing the level of personal responsibility of citizens for the future of an independent state. This actualizes the problem of the formation of the national identity of the youth, which acquired special importance in the conditions of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
The importance of the problem of forming the national identity of youth is emphasized in a number of normative and legal documents. The analysis of the works of the psychological and pedagogical direction makes it possible to understand the concepts of «consciousness», «identity», «national identity», «cultural identity» in relation to the formation of the personality and their combination into the construct «national-cultural identity».
The concept of «identity» was introduced into scientific circulation by the American psychologist E. Erikson and developed by domestic scientists in the context of Ukrainian culture. The process of identity formation is an important component of the general age-related development of the personality. Self-identification of an individual occurs throughout his life: under the influence of family, friends, environment, during studies, communication at work, reading books, visiting museums, etc. The period when the «I» of a teenager is formed against the background of socio-cultural processes taking place in society can be considered especially vulnerable.
Cambridge University professor M. Hibernau revealed the concept of «national identity» and described its five dimensions. Among which, in the context of the problem, we are interested in the second – cultural dimension. It determines the identification of a person through grouping into groups, each of which has elements of a special culture for it: values, customs, traditions, rites and rituals, a language with its characteristics, which causes a powerful emotional unity.
Individual and collective memories, places of memory and commemorative practices contribute to the knowledge of Ukraine’s past and are a tool for establishing the national and cultural identity of young people.
It is worth considering the factor of the possibility of changes in the national and cultural identity of an individual, which directly depends on the influence on his consciousness of the cultural features of his new place of residence. Therefore, the forced emigration of Ukrainian families abroad during the aggression of the Russian Federation threatens the loss of a considerable number of the young generation for Ukraine. An important aspect of preserving the national and cultural identity of Ukrainian youth abroad in the conditions of globalization is their awareness of their own spiritual values and intercultural communication skills.
In the conditions of Ukraine’s struggle to preserve its independence, the active formation of a national identity is taking place, which is based on the support of the culture and language of the Ukrainian ethnic group, the education of patriotism, and formation of the Ukrainian political nation.