Interaction Between Institutions of Power and Civil Society in the Context of Countering Extremist Behavior of Modern Youth

Abstract

The article identifies and interprets the main directions and models of interaction between government institutions at various levels (federal, regional, municipal) and representatives of civil society regarding counteractions against manifestations of extremist behavior of contemporary youth. General and specific factors that determine persistence of extremism among the young both in the Russian Federation and in foreign countries are characterized. The author bases his argumentation on the main provisions of the classical and modern theories of political and communicative interaction between institutions of society and government, conceptual constructions of the institutional, activist and conflictological approaches. It is emphasized that the youth extremism is spreading both offline and online, with employment of digital technologies to mobilize and attract supporters, and institutionalize new digital cultures of fellow citizens. It is proven that global threats (environmental, pandemic — e.g. spread of COVID-19, etc.) are connected with extremist activity of various groups of youth. The real and potential means of interaction between the authorities and society in the Russian Federation have been identified in order to minimize Russophobia (anti-Russian sentiment) used by certain political figures to exacerbate civilization and generation gap. The study revealed a growing trend of purposefully distorting historical facts, using neo-Nazi ideology by unfriendly countries as a technology of "hybrid war" for minds and behavioral models of young people in the context of geopolitical confrontation and overcoming the US hegemony in the system of modern international relations.