Human rights and freedoms in Russia and their reflection in mass consciousness (the example of research of the students’ opinion) Maria Latoukhina Southern Ural State University Chelyabinsk, Russia

Preface The issue of rights and freedoms is extremely urgent for young people because their value orientations and life’s aims are in the process of forming. As a result we can see the contradiction between subjective perception of rights and freedoms and the real situation in Russia connected with this issue.

Major aim: Bring to light the students' opinion about the issue of rights and freedoms Human rights (natural, positive rights, rights of the second generation) – an opportunity to do something, which is fixed in principles of law and does not demand special costs from a state. Human freedoms (rights of the first generation, negative rights) – lack of any restrictions of human activity that is stated in principles of law; the scope of realization of it is defined by the extent of social welfare. Minor aim N1: Define the respondents' attitude to different groups of rights and freedoms Minor aim N2: Find out which type of respondents' consciousness is predominant

Human rights and freedoms Individual rights and freedomsPolitical rights and freedoms lifefreedom of speech protection of personal dignity meetings, rallies, demonstrations sanctity of home participation in government inviolability of private lifeto vote and to be elected religion creation of social associations Economical rights and freedoms Civil rights and freedoms protection from unemployment judicial protection private property protection from crimes free choice of profession guarantee of presumption of innocence equal fee for equal labor judicial protection in international courts Cultural rights and freedoms Social rights and freedoms educationrest freedom of artistic and scientific creativitylodging access to cultural values favorable environment medical care

Minor aim N2: Find out which type of respondents' consciousness is predominant. An ideal type of consciousness was proposed by Max Weber. I.M. Klyamkin and B.G. Kapustin defined the following types of consciousness: 1) traditionally Soviet (advanced consumer individualism; the type of a person in totalitarian-communist society); 2) not liberal individualism (implies the undoubted realization of own interests restricted not by laws but by the power of others or circumstances); 3) economically liberal (property is at the heart of it); 4) socially liberal (priority is given to freedom).

Object: students of South Ural State University Sample: 113 respondents. Humanitarian specialties (socio-humanitarian faculty, faculties of economics and management, economics and law, linguistics) Technical specialties (energy, physical, auto-tractor, physico- mathematical faculties) Girls – 53,2% Guys – 46,8%

Results: 1)Students are the pretty inert social group that does not have its pronounced group "Me": - Pure type of consciousness does not prevail. Consciousness represents a symbiosis of adherence to ideals of Soviet life (equal fee for equal labor), economical liberalism (the right for private property) and social liberalism (equal start possibilities for everyone). - The group of individual rights and freedoms is not rather priority- driven as it was first supposed to be but peculiar rights from different groups of rights enjoyed the support.

2) Students are similar in the estimation of political rights and freedoms and in respect of rights in general. Freedom of speech is significant but they are not against the deprivation of it. Students are satisfied with the communication within a group. Public freedom of speech is not overwhelmingly important for them. By and large students do not have personal opinion about what rights and freedoms are. They are ready to sacrifice these abstract definitions for the sake of the strengthening of the State organization.

How do you understand the words “Human rights and freedoms”?

3) Students as a social group submit to the influence from outside (mass media, friends). They show displeasure about multi-party elections, meetings, demonstrations and strikes. Unanimous standing up almost of the half of respondents for the fight against terrorism and readiness to give up their freedoms in the name of this target is detected.

What objects of a state can justify restriction of any human rights and freedoms?

4) Students is a disappointed social group to a certain extent. Most of them believed in democratic elections, effectiveness of meetings and strikes but looking at feebleness of people in front of authority lost interest in just born embryos of the lawful state as well as civil society.

Negatives for citizens of Russia were:

5) Students are not ready and do not want to fight for their rights and freedoms along with the clear perception that some rights are registered in constitution only but not fulfilled in practice. Students today are not such a social group that is deprived of real rights (for example, half-price tickets or delay from enroll). If such modifications take place then most likely behavior and value orientations of students will change.