FOLKLORE AS A TOOL OF POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION: SOVIET JOKES AND THEIR ROLE IN SHAPING COLLECTIVE MEMORY

The article explores the functions of Soviet political jokes in the media discourse of the Pervichka journal – a publication of the Higher Party School of "United Russia." The author analyzes how historical folklore is adapted to the tasks of modern political socialization, serving as a tool for shaping collective memory. Using the "Mirror of the Era" column as a case study, the study demonstrates that jokes not only preserve cultural codes but also facilitate critical reflection, linking the past to contemporary challenges (bureaucracy, communication failures). Employing content analysis, semiotics, and a comparative approach, the research reveals strategies for integrating jokes into digital environments: visualization, contextualization through current themes, and the use of irony as a tool for soft criticism. The results show that Pervichka transforms folklore into a media instrument that communicates with youth through memes and visual imagery while maintaining continuity with historical experience