Classification of Political Orientations of North Caucasus Youth

The article aims to develop an empirically based classification of the political orientations of North Caucasus youth. This region is characterized by a complex ethno-confessional architecture and a hybrid institutional environment. The study aims to overcome the reductionism that exists in academic discourse, which views youth in the macro-region primarily through the prism of radicalization risks, overshadowing the political attitudes of the “silent majority”. The study identified three consistent types of media-political behavior and empirically verified a classification of North Caucasus youth political orientations on social media, consisting of five consistent types. It was established that the basic framework for consolidation for young people is a pan-Russian civic identity, within which regional, cultural, and ethno-confessional foundations of solidarity compete. The political preferences of North Caucasus youth are not monolithic, but rather represent a dynamic structure shaped by digital trends and local specificities. Conclusion dwells upon the fact that the key challenge for public policy is not only countering extremism, but also dealing with an indifferent majority, whose political identity is in a state of “deferred demand” and has a high degree of uncertainty.