Dunets V. Development of a Democratic Political Culture of Contemporary Youth (Case Study of the Republic of Poland and Ukraine)

The dissertation is dedicated to the research of the political cultures of contemporary Polish and Ukrainian youth. These are the young generations, who were born and grew up in a democracy after the fall of communism in Central and Eastern Europe, and who have no experience of living under a totalitarian regime. The author defines the theoretical and methodological principles of the thesis, based primarily on the works of Polish and Ukrainian political and social scientists, as well as representatives of other schools of thought. The author analyzes first the historical sources of the political cultures of Poles and Ukrainians. Analysis of the collected data indicates that the political cultures of contemporary young Poles and Ukrainians are closer than those of the respective older generations, as a result of the spread of mass culture and the impact of globalization. The author examines the role of the new agencies of political socialization, such as the Internet and social networks, in developing a democratic political culture of Ukrainian youth. Civic education is a basic requirement for giving political competence to Ukrainian youth, understanding the core elements of the state and of citizens’ rights and duties is the responsible foundation for political activity. The author emphasizes that the aim of civic education in contemporary society is not only to transmit certain knowledge, but also to develop critical thinking and rationale.