Tourism and Excursions as Forms of Organization of Leisure of Children and Youth in USSR in 1953-1964 (on Materials of Stalingrad (Volgograd) Region)

Abstract

The relevance of the topic is due to modern interdisciplinary research in the field of historical anthropology and social history, covering the period of the USSR. The article is based on representative sources that allow to characterize the development of tourism and excursion activities as the main forms of leisure for children and young people. Based on the analysis of unpublished archival material and periodicals revealed the purpose and content of tourist and excursion leisure activities of the younger generation of Stalingrad (Volgograd) region in the conditions of Khrushchev’s “thaw.” On the basis of the documentary material the main directions of hikes and excursions of schoolchildren and students of the city and region were determined. The role of local government agencies in the organization of children’s leisure, as well as the place of educational and cultural institutions, sports societies and personal initiatives of children and youth in organizing hiking and excursions are determined. The results of the research complement the already known information about the everyday culture of the Soviet people and their lives in the changing role of the state and society in the organization and conduct of leisure in 1953-1964. The article is prepared within the research grant of RFBR and administration of Volgograd region (project No. 18-49-340004 p_a).

Keywords

• organization of leisure
• children’s recreation
• tourism
• excursion
• cultural institutions
• khrushchev’s “thaw’
• stalingrad (volgograd) region