A BelSU researcher tell about the identity origin of a modern Belgorod resident

The first lecture under the Belogorie.Science educational project was the 25^th in a row of the similar events held by BRO “Obshestvo Znanie”. At the anniversary conference on the project, Professor Sergey Lebedev, the Head of the International Centre for Sociological Research “Sociology of Religion, Culture and Communication”, gave a lecture on “Sociological Regional Studies: Identity of A Modern Belgorodian”.

He talked about what makes people “local” – morally and emotionally attached to the home city in the period of big and small social changes.

Based on the ten years research experience in the framework of the Laboratory project “Local Identities: Sociological Local Studies”, dedicated to the study of Russian cities, Sergey Lebedev introduced the audience to the “Belgorodian” concept, illustrating each element with vivid examples and figures. The symbolic city centre, its locations, rituals of the citizens' unity, heroes of the local community and typical features of a modern Belgorodian, which are familiar to everyone, gained new meanings and appeared in their unity and practical importance for the audience.

The lecturer emphasised that according to the research of 2022, the younger generation of Belgorodians perceives their city and their local identity notably in a more positive way than older generations of citizens.