State youth policy and political identity formation: between tradition and innovation

The state youth policy has been analyzed in the context of forming political identity, considered at the intersection of traditional and innovative mechanisms. The relevance of the research topic is determined by the need to find effective tools for social consolidation and to compare the legacy of Soviet models of socialization with modern digital practices. The purpose of the study is to identify the features of forming youth political identity in modern Russia and to determine the state’s role in this process, considering the stable institutions of the past and the new challenges of digitalization. The methodological basis of the study is aninterdisciplinary approach combining political, sociological, and psychological analysis. It is complemented by the historical and comparative method, which makes it possible to correlate the Soviet and modern experience. The theoretical section reveals the multidimensional nature of the identity concept through socio-constructivist, psychological, communicative, and institutional approaches. Based on the Soviet period material (1920–1930s), it has been shown that political identity was formed mainly through institutionalization, ideologization, and paternalism, ensuring the system stability at the cost of limiting the subjectivity of youth. The modern digital environment, on the contrary, is characterized by polycentricity, fragmentation, and hybrid identity. The algorithmic logic of platforms, visual communication formats, and the impact of influencers enhance the mosaic of perception, forming a more flexible and individualized subjective identity. The key impact factors are digital platform algorithms, blogging, visual culture, and soft power 2.0 practices, where political meanings are integrated into entertainment content. It has been proved that the state youth policy is developing today between tradition and innovation, and this requires forming a hybrid model. Such a model should combine value bases with modern digital engagement formats, critical thinking development and participatory platforms creation for dialogue with young people. This is what will make it possible to adapt youth policy to the challenges of the digital age and contribute to a consolidating social ideology formation.