An Image Of The Future Of The Russian Federation In The Perception Of The Population: Construction And Identification[Образ Будущего Российской Федерации В Восприятии Населения: Конструирование И Идентификация]

In the current political conditions the problem of constructing the image of the future of the Russian Federation as a symbolic agent of socio-cultural identity is of great importance for the state and society. At the same time the scientific and expert community of Russia has serious differences in understanding the socio-political prospects for the development of the Russian state by various social groups of the domestic society. Research methodology - the article presents an analysis of sociological data obtained from a series of online focus group interviews conducted by the authors among age groups of respondents over 18 years of age in the regions of the Southern and Central Federal Districts. The focus group method was used to understand and explain the influence of the territory of residence of the respondents on the process of determining the prospects for sustainable development of Russia. The purpose of the article is based on the analysis of the structure and ideas of Russian citizens about the image of the future of Russia to present 1) citizens’ opinions of the Southern and Central Federal Districts on the political prospects of the country; 2) on the basis of a sociological survey to characterize the image of the future of the Russian Federation among various age groups. The result of this study is the conclusion that the territory of the citizens’ residence and their socio-cultural characteristics are significant factors in the differences in the residents’ ideas about the near future of the country and the processes of its construction. It is also worth noting the impact of the development features of the subjects of the Russian Federation on the content of the desired image of the state future, development priorities, and the degree of achieving the image of the future against the background of political realities. At the same time the authors note that the age characteristics of the survey participants are dominant in detailing the planning horizon of the future, the possibilities of achieving the ideal of the formed image of the future. An increase in the pool of nodal positions for consolidation among representatives of older age groups was revealed. A conclusion is formulated about the significant influence on the construction of the image of the future of the dominant patterns that differ in age groups.