“Lostˮ Russian Media Generations in a Changing Social and Digital Environment

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15826/csp.2023.7.1.220

Abstract

This study investigates the concept of “digitalˮ media generations, their formation, and the phenomenon of “lostˮ generations from the perspective of media-focused and anthropological approaches. The restrictions on social media and some media access following the beginning of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine in 2022 has resulted in a turbulent media environment detrimental to the subjective well-being of Russian “digitalˮ media generations, especially young adults. Analysis of the reasons behind the emergence of “lostˮ generations in the history of Russia and other countries allows us to conclude that geopolitical factors such as wars, economic shocks, and major epidemics can lead to generational “lossˮ. From the perspective of digital divide theory, it may be said that we are now dealing with a new kind of digital inequality. The discreteness of the media flow, whose continuity is crucial primarily for “digitalˮ media generations and their media identity, has created a unique combination of factors contributing to further exacerbation of the digital divide. To minimize the destructive consequences of emerging media transformations, it is important to ensure comprehensive media and information support for Russian “digital nativesˮ, along with socio-political and psychological assistance.

Author Biography

Anna S. Sumskaya, Ural Federal University, Yekaterinburg, Russia

Anna S. Sumskaya, Candidate of Sciences (Education), Associate Professor at the Department of Journalism, Ural Federal University, Yekaterinburg, Russia. At present, Anna Sumskaya is working on her thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philology. Since 2017, Anna Sumskaya has been a member of the European Association for Communication Research and Education (ECREA); since 2022, she has been a member of the Risk Journalism and Global Crisis Project group, University of Melbourne. Her research interests focus on media communication, media sphere, communicative and cultural memory, storytelling, multimedia and transmedia narration, regional journalism. She has been involved in a number of scientific projects supported by Russian foundations: “Media Communication in interactive environments: an industrial approach” (UrFU, 2017), “The issue of ecology in the agenda of national media” (RFBR, 2018), “Digitalization of communicative-cultural memory and problems of its intergenerational transmission”.

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Published
2023-04-10
How to Cite
Sumskaya, A. (2023). “Lostˮ Russian Media Generations in a Changing Social and Digital Environment. Changing Societies & Personalities, 7(1), 88–112. doi:10.15826/csp.2023.7.1.220
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Vol. 7, No. 1 (2023)
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Articles