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INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY THROUGH THE EYES OF RUSSIAN STUDENTS

Zh. Puzanova, T. Larina, N. Narbut, A. Tertyshnikova

Abstract

The understanding of individual freedom and its realization in modern Russia is based on the Constitution, but is not limited to it. Public opinion, social norms affect peopleВ’s perceptions of dos and don'ts. Under the frame of empirical research, conducted in September 2016 at RUDN University (Moscow), Russian students were interviewed in order to determine their view of life about processes taking place in the modern Russian society in the context of individual liberty. Thus, the implementation of the individual liberty is considered in such areas: personal, socio-civic, informational, professional. The question of individual liberty includes abortion, attitude toward children, marriage (the prevalence of non-traditional forms of marriage), euthanasia, body, people with HIA, representatives of different religious confessions. Socio-civic area is presented with political opinions, issues related to cloning, the death penalty, freedom of speech. Information sphere is comprised of data related to privacy and wiretapping. Professional sphere includes professional self-determination and self-actualization in the profession and sexual harassment. According to the research 43% of the students subscribe to liberal views. It is close to European views, providing freedom in the decision about abortion, supporting the positions of child-free and homosexual marriages, euthanasiaВ’s legalizing, tolerant attitude to any self-expression through a conspicuous appearance, denying breach of freedom of information, even for the sake of safety, comprehensive (even aggressive) support for women's rights in the professional sphere. Only 10% - conservative (traditional Russian views, opposite to the listed above) and the remaining 47% express their views, which canВ’t be unambiguously characterized as conservative or liberal.

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