THE VALUE OF “HOMELAND” AMONG RESIDENTS OF THE NORTH CAUCASUS FEDERAL DISTRICT

Abstract

The article examines the value of “Homeland” among residents of the North Caucasus Federal District. The study is based on data from a free association experiment conducted among residents of the Republic of Dagestan, the Chechen Republic, the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, and Stavropol Krai aged 17 to 35. The analysis is based on a model of associative meaning, which identifies conceptual, object-based, emotional-evaluative, and formal responses. It is found that ideas about the territory of residence and the space of home and family occupy a central place in the structure of the value of “Homeland.” Regional specificities in these associative fields were also identified. In the Republic of Dagestan and the Chechen Republic, reactions related to the territory of one’s own republic predominate. In the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, regional and all-Russian components are relatively evenly represented, while in Stavropol Krai, the image of Russia occupies a central position. The obtained results demonstrate the variability of ways of conceptualizing the Motherland and allow us to consider it as a multi-component entity, the content of which is determined by the interaction of socially established values and personal meanings.