Ethnic Tolerance Formation Among Students of Russian Universities: Current State, Problems, and Perspectives

Today the problem of ethnic tolerance, its formation and development, especially among different social groups, is becoming one of the most important social challenges, which makes it particularly interesting for social research. This article presents the results of a sociological study as well as recommendations for reducing ethnic intolerance among students of higher educational institutions. The article provides a general overview of the contemporary theories defining tolerance and inter-ethnic relations. Although this research involves different methodology types, its main goal is to explore the key factors of ethnic tolerance formation in the modern society. In the discussion of the phenomenon of tolerance, this article puts a special emphasis on tolerance in the students’ environment. Sociological research of tolerance among the youth has great practical significance, especially in multi-ethnic societies. At its preparatory stage, the research involved the application of the standardized linear and track models ‘Level of Students’ Ethnic Tolerance’. The article presents the results of the applied sociological research of the Ural Federal District ethnicity conducted from April to September 2014. The analysis of the results has brought to light the factors which influence the ethnic tolerance level of students of the Ural Federal University.