FARMING AS A WAY OF LIFE

The article presents the methodology and results of a sociological study that was conducted at the Ural State Agrarian University. The object of the study is the student youth of the agrarian university at the age of the initial self‑determination of the life path. The subject of the study was the general and specific value orientations of students of an agricultural university in relation to family farming. The research methodology is a comprehensive research strategy that includes quantitative and qualitative methods of sociological research: a written survey (questionnaire) of an expert youth group and work with focus groups. The main purpose of the study is to identify the values of young people, the willingness of the young generation, who chose agricultural education as their main education, continue to work in this area, open their own farm or include them in the work of farmers. According to the results of a sociological study, the authors note the rationality in choosing a professional path, ranking the values that underlie the choice of farming as a life path. The authors note that despite the predominance of economic in the value profile of young people, many think about family values and their own health, choosing environmentally friendly food. The results of the survey also show that the choice of farming as the main occupation is a continuation of the trend towards independence and freedom, which is characteristic of generation Y. An interesting fact is that despite the fact that among the respondents there are also originally urban residents, studying at an agricultural university transforms their values, park studies demonstrate both economic feasibility and the social prospects of such a choice of employment as farming.

family farming, peasant (farmer) farms, youth, life path, value orientations, comprehensive study, survey, focus group, economic factors, social factors.

Zhuravleva L. A., Zarubina E. V., Ruchkin A. V., Simachkova N. N., Chupina I. P. Farming as a way of life. Business. Education. Law, 2019, no. 4, pp. 81–86. DOI: 10.25683/VOLBI.2019.49.477.