Abstract

The subject of quantitative research in this paper is an analysis of the knowledge and the perceptions of students from seven different faculties in different years of study. The authors used a quantitative survey method to identify and describe the knowledge and perceptions about the possible risks and disasters. 382 students from all years of study were examined. The results show that the respondents have a high level of knowledge of natural disasters and that there is a significant difference among students depending mostly on the year of study. There is also a difference in some perceptions between the students from “nonsecurity” and “security” studies. The limitation of the research refers to the fact that the investigation is based only on students willing to participate in the answering of the questionnaire. Considering the evident lack of risks and hazards related to the Environment in Macedonia, the survey results can be used when creating the strategy for educational programs, which would contribute to improving the safety of youth culture. The research results can also be used for the improvement of existing knowledge and preparedness for responding to risks and hazards related to the Environment.

Conclusions

The environment represents a field that comprises the interest of many scientific disciplines, and as a result of such interest, different scientific instruments are created. In general, it can be observed both as an interest in the natural sciences and the social sciences. In the social sciences, of particular importance is the connection between economics and sociology on one hand and the technical and natural laws on the other. This, of course, results in the creation of the concept of sustainable development. The relationship between Security and Risks is established, and it is of a visible or latent nature. The space for scientific research in this area is “unlimited.” Risks today represent a part of modern society, or as Beck calls it, “a risk society.” Within these general conditions, the environment and the media directly associated with it, and the closely related issues are increasingly gaining importance. As a result, more and more people will change their perception of security. In this sense, the variable “environment” will become increasingly important for the subjective feeling of security among people. In response to the risks and threats contrary to the doctrine of Liberal Thinking, all states will be strengthening their position and “manoeuvring space” to restrict the rights and freedoms of the people. Therefore, the risks, despite having objective potential for endangerment, are subject to additional “shaping,” most often by state authorities and the holders of information activities. The holders of information activities acquire a global dimension with incredible speed, and the state authorities cannot always keep up with this progress. Regarding the differences arising at the individual level about risk perception, the cultural context as well as the objective reality are of crucial importance. The students, in the group of threats to the environment, place the endangerment of the air and water in the first place. Half of them believe that the soil is subject to threat. The perception that the air is the most endangered is because all respondents live in Skopje. The students also consider that the threat to water is strong, but at the same time do not think that the Republic of Macedonia would have a problem with a shortage of water. Among the students, tradition, religion, and religious feelings are values that in most cases are evaluated differently, i.e., the answers range with substantial variations in the value of the standard deviation. Ethnic hatred has the highest value in terms of the assessment of its security relevance. The perception among the students about the risks and dangers to the environment at the global level is based on speculation and incomplete information. There are significant differences in these responses and a large scattering of opinions. The participants have built a perception that the environment in the country is not being protected. At the same time, they do not contribute towards its threat. The respondents as individuals significantly contribute to its protection (defined by four control issues). There is no statistically significant difference in the perception of the risks and dangers between the students at the Faculty of Security in Skopje and the students at the Institute for Defense and Peace. This indicates a relatively similar perception towards the risks and dangers. According to the authors, this is due to the development of a safety culture and the acquired knowledge during the studies and in general the attitude towards the risks and hazards associated with security. There is a difference in the perception of the value of security issues among the students from the first and third years of study. The students in the third year of study have a highly developed sense of security culture. Among the first-year students, we can see incomplete attitudes towards some security matters that can be especially illustrated by the values of the deviations to the standard deviation in the assessment of the security challenge in the cases: “the existence of a classical military threat,” “terrorism,” “trafficking of people,” and “human organ trafficking.” In addition, the performed t-test showed the statistical significance of the differences between these two groups regarding the questions: “human organ trafficking” and “terrorism.” There is a statistically significant difference between the attitudes of the students from the Faculty of Security in Skopje and the Faculty of Law “Iustinianus Primus” in terms of the range of danger of risks associated with the spread of tropical diseases to the north and south of the equator as well as pollution of the oceans due to the release of carbon dioxide. This is due to a higher degree of built security culture rather based on familiarity with real facts and data. Macedonia is vulnerable to risks and dangers of different natures, and the overall processes are not in favour of the existence of an optimal level of handling and managing these risks. The existence of the consequences for human health over the last decades of the 20th century has created social interest groups that enabled the creation of a system for environmental protection, which is not completely finished, i.e., it is not utterly functional and operational yet.

How to cite

Reference – Ivanov, A., Cvetković, V., & Sudar, S. (2015). Recognition and perception of risks and environmental hazards on the part of the student population in the Republic of Macedonia. In: Zlatko Žlogev i Oliver Bacanović, International scientific conference – Researching security – approaches, concepts and policies, 02-03. University “St. Kliment Ohridski”- Bitola Faculty of Security – Skopje, 173-199.