Factors of civic engagement of young people in the context of geopolitical instability

The increasing complexity of the geopolitical reality is accompanied by serious risks for young people. In this regard, it is important to intensify comprehensive measures aimed at the formation of positive civic engagement of young people. The article analyzes the existing theoretical approaches to the understanding of youth civic engagement. As a result of the analysis, the authors clarify the concept of civic engagement of youth in the conditions of geopolitical instability. They propose to consider civic engagement with regard to the orientation on the value constants of Russian society. The basis of the sociological analysis of the factors of formation of civil activity of young people is the results of the authors’ sociological research, conducted in 2023 in Kursk and Belgorod among the students of universities. In the course of this research, the factors of formation of youth civic engagement in conditions of geopolitical instability were verified. The authors substantiate that achieving an increase in civic engagement of young people, awareness of its essence, constructiveness in modern Russian society is possible only with the consolidation of all institutions of society. Soft methods of formation of civic engagement take into account the factors associated with the proactive activities of youth organizations themselves, the influence of family, significant relatives, strengthening the social protection of young people. It was found that the main factors in the formation of civic engagement of young people are family, information environment, educational institutions, a close circle of friends, peers. The conclusion is that young people's ideas about the manifestations of civic engagement are vague and contradictory. The data obtained during the study confirms the need to take into account in youth policy programs both the needs of young people themselves, and the special situation caused by the risks of geopolitical instability.