Abstract: The subject of this research is the value priorities of modern students. The goal consists in determination of value aspects and life strategies of student youth at the current stage of social development. Student family is key main strategic resource of modern society, and simultaneously, the most socially unadjusted group for creating a family and performing the role of responsible parenthood. An important aspect is that creation of a family is not trendy; the value preferences are oriented towards career aspirations and alternative forms of marriage and family relations. The conducted survey revealed the value orientations of student youth, their life strategies, and problems. The conclusion on students’ focus on starting a successful career and professional identity is empirically proven. The novelty lies in consideration of the concept of “value readiness of the students for creating a family", as well as the indicators of value readiness for family life. The author describes the main vectors in professional activity of the curators of student groups in the formation of students ' value attitude on family: social-value, personal-value, communicative-value, professional-value, and value-environment. The following criteria of life strategies and prospects of modern youth are defined: the strategy of well-being, life success, family and personal fulfillment. It is substantiated that preservation of feasibility of student families would be effective under the condition that university creates the family-preservation environment.

Keywords: indicators, motivation, attitude, willingness, responsibility, life strategies, family values, Student family, activities, seven environment

Abstract: The coverage of terrorist attacks by mass media forms a certain outlook upon the course of events among the audience. Studying the texts of news sources allows tracing the transformation of perception of terrorist attacks over time. The goal of this article consists in the analysis of coverage of Beslan terrorist attack in September of 2004 in regional and federal Russian mass media. The author conducted a content analysis and comparative analysis of information posted on the information portal “15th Region” as regional media of North Ossetia and RBK ad federal mass media representatives. The following conclusions were made: regional media give major attention to the problems of victims, their personal stories and future life, while federal media rater focus on the global problem of terrorism in the country and worldwide. One of the trends in covering terrorist attacks is the admission of ineffectiveness of the actions of government and aw enforcement structures which manifests in the regional media to a greater extent. It is also worth noting that the interest to the topic fades quicker in federal media, rather than in regional.

Keywords: central media, regional media, online media, news, mass media, Beslan, terrorism, terrorist act, content analysis, qualitative content analysis

Abstract: The subject of this research is the ethnic identity in public consciousness of the population of the Republic of Mari El. Based on the latest sociological data (acquired in 2018) the author reviews the factors and level of ethnic self-identification of modern youth of the region. The key ethno-identification factors are depending on civil-identification problems, ethnic affiliation, place of residence, and level of education of young respondents are examined. For creating a diachronic context for studying the ethno-identification mentality of young people in the XXI century, the author employs the data from sociological surveys carried out in 2001 and 2011. The article also analyzes the youth’s assessment of their own level ethnic identification and criteria for determination of nationality of a person. The scientific novelty consists in the empirical material introduced into scientific discourse for the first time  in the context of the selected topic, as well as the in its problematic (the specificity of manifestation ethno-identification factors in different youth groups, diachronic context of research, youth’s assessment of own ethno-identification level, representation on the criteria for determination of nationality of a person), which is also examined for the first time within the regional ethno-sociological science. The article proves that the system of key factors of ethnic identification, recorded in the course of 2018 study, was relevant throughout the entire XXI century: the language and folk traditions remain of major importance, but the quantitative indicators have changed; a significant role is also assigned to such factors as culture, place of residence, origin, which were not considered primary in the sociological surveys;  personal characteristics (character traits and psychology, appearance traits) become less meaningful from the perspective of ethnic identity. The highest self-identification level is observed among youth with showing most affection towards their “small motherland” and place of origin of the ethnos, as well as those with a broader life and cultural outlook.

Keywords: factors of ethnic self-identifications, ethnic identity, identity, modern youth, public consciousness, Republic of Mari El, ethnic sociology, national self-consciousness, language, folk tradition

Abstract: The subject of this research is the semantic content and peculiarities of the concept of “gods” in lyrics of the Russian-language musical bands and performers for the past 50 years. The frequent mention of gods in modern songs counters to the dogmas of the traditional monotheistic religions and have state support. The author believes that such contradiction between the normative and government-approved Abrahamic religions and innovations introduced by mass culture deserves due attention. Within the framework of research conducted in November of 2019, the author analyzed the song lyrics that contain reference to gods, based on the platform www.gl5.ru – a popular online resource that features the lyrics of Russian-language songs. Having reviewed all relevant results, the author formed an array of texts, and based on their content analysis revealed a number of patterns that describing usage of the concept of “gods”. The analyzed materials demonstrate that in the Soviet songs, gods were mentioned only in a figurative sense; but presently, they can be depicted as an element of reality, and the Lord of monotheistic religions – just one of the existing gods. It is worth noting that word “gods” transformed into a common interjection, which is reflected in the works of multiple popular young musicians. These processes, which did not really attract the attention of researchers, give a pause for thought – whether the theological doctrines of Abrahamic religions had major impact upon mass consciousness of the Russians is great, or their viability in modern Russia is substantiated by the strong government support.

Keywords: henotheism, monotheism, polytheism, Russian chanson, Russian Rock music, Russian hip hop, Russian pop music, popular culture, music and religion, clericalization

Abstract: This article analyzes the experience of application of media relations by political parties in the course of elections. It is a process of interaction between the press services of political parties and mass media by providing information to journalists in form of press releases, organization of press conferences, briefings and press tours for the purpose of promulgation of the offered materials in mass media. The article reveals the role of media relations in the electoral marketing of political parties based on comparison with the political advertising. Characteristic is given to the use of contact and document forms of media relations by the press services of political parties at the time of elections. The scientific novelty of this article consists in determination of specificity of media relations used by the political parties in electoral process. It implies the following aspects: media relations of political parties have a smaller scale of application in comparison with the state; the use of media relations is aimed at “winning” of their electorate by the parties; the key characteristic of the activity of press services of the political parties that refer to the forms of media relations is the ideological orientation; one of the primary tasks of press services pertains to fulfilling the information needs of their leaders, voicing their stance and opinions, assessments and intentions; the functional interaction with mass media comes to the forefront in the activity of press services at the time of elections, as the information prepared by them must be comprehensible to the audience.

Keywords: electoral process, electoral marketing, media solutions, political advertising, political PR, press service, political party, press release, press conference, press tour