SPIRITUAL AND MORAL VALUES AS THE FOUNDATION FOR THE FORMATION OF ETHNO-CULTURAL AND ALL-RUSSIAN IDENTITY AMONG CONTEMPORARY YOUTH (ON THE EXAMPLE OF DAGESTAN STATE UNIVERSITY)

Abstract

Based on theoretical analysis and empirical data, this article examines the role of traditional Russian spiritual and moral values in shaping the ethnocultural and pan-Russian identity of university students in a multicultural region. The results of an assessment of ethnic identity types and a tolerance index, conducted at Dagestan State University, demonstrate the prevalence of positive ethnic identity and a high level of general tolerance among students. Particular attention is paid to practical manifestations of civic identity: student participation in a special military operation, volunteer assistance to flood victims, and other forms of social activism. It is shown that spiritual and moral education, based on ethnocultural traditions and universal civic values, fosters a stable pan-Russian identity and a readiness for constructive service to society, as evidenced by students’ participation in a special military operation and volunteer activities. Seven key areas for fostering students’ ethnocultural and pan-Russian identity have been identified. Each of these areas comprises a set of pedagogically structured activities aimed at internalizing spiritual and moral values: creating a comprehensive model of a “developmental environment” through event-based formats; the use of modern multimedia technologies and virtual tours; creative forms of educational work: literary salons, discussion clubs, student science weeks; systematic discussions of works by Dagestani and Russian classics; organizing excursions to local history museums and folk craft enterprises followed by discussion; involving students in social project design; integrating participants in the Social and Civic Education program and volunteers into the educational process. All these measures allow not only for the transfer of knowledge but also for the formation of an emotional and value-based attitude toward one’s homeland, one’s own culture, and the cultures of other peoples.