Sarah Blesener

美國
長期專題　第一名

《家園的呼喚》

2016年 4月 4日至 2018年 11月 17日

在俄國德米特羅夫第六學校的體育館中，學生在軍歌比賽前於後臺笑鬧。

愛國教育時常挾帶潛在的軍事意義，形成俄國與美國許多青年計畫的主軸。在美國，「美國優先」與「美國主義」不僅是許多成人政治運動的推動力，更出現在全國各地的營隊 及社團中，用於教導年輕人身為美國人所代表的意義。在俄國，愛國社團和營隊受到政 府的鼓勵。2015年，俄國總統普丁下令組織俄國學生運動，此運動目的在於透過思想、宗教、備戰的教育，來形塑青年的人格。《2016年～2020年俄羅斯公民愛國教育》計畫 力求使年輕人的愛國心提升百分之八，並讓軍隊招募率提高百分之十。攝影師參訪了十 個美國的青年計畫，也參訪了俄國的學校與軍事夏令營。此系列作品的目標在以年輕人及他們的生活為焦點，開放討論這些逐漸灌輸給未來世代的想法，並檢視年輕人如何應 對當代社會。

Sarah Blesener

United States
Long-Term Projects 1st Prize

Beckon us from Home

4 April 2016 - 17 November 2018

Students laugh backstage before a singing and marching competition, at School #6 gymnasium, Dmitrov, Russia.

Patriotic education, often with a military subtext, forms the mainspring of many youth programs in both Russia and the United States. In America, the dual messages of ‘America first’ and ‘Americanism’ can be found not only as a driving force behind adult political movements, but around the country in camps and clubs where young people are taught what it means to be an American. In Russia, patriotic clubs and camps are encouraged by government. In 2015, President Vladimir Putin ordered the creation of a Russian student movement whose aim was to help form the characters of young people through instruction in ideology, religion and preparedness for war. The ‘Patriotic Education of Russian Citizens in 2016–2020’ program called for an 8 percent increase in patriotism among youth, and a 10 percent increase in recruits to the armed forces. The photographer visited ten youth programs in the US, as well as schools and military summer camps in Russia. The aim of the series is to use these young people and their lives as the focal point in an open dialogue around the ideas instilled in future generations, and examine how young people are responding to contemporary society.