EDN: https://elibrary.ru/ynknsy
DOI: 10.21064/WinRS.2026.3.4
This article examines gender differences in the political preferences, value orientations, and social attitudes of young people in contemporary Russia aged 18—35. The relevance of this article stems from the growing “gender ideological divide” documented in both international and domestic studies. The empirical basis includes data from two surveys: the All-Russian study “Social Contract-2024” (N = 1,000) as part of a Russian Science Foundation project, and the authors’ study “Social Values and Political Preferences of Youth in Contemporary Russia” (N = 365, 2025). According to the study’s findings, young women are significantly more likely to identify with liberal views (27.1 % versus 11.6 % among men), whereas men tend toward conservative and state-protective attitudes. The largest gender gaps were observed regarding women’s representation in politics
(49.8 percentage points), equal pay (31.9 percentage points), and attitudes toward authoritarian rule (15.5 percentage points). The authors identified a paradox: women with liberal gender views demonstrate a higher commitment to traditional values, namely national unity and moral ideals. Correlation analysis revealed a moderate link between ideological self-identification and value orientations, reflecting a mixed configuration of young people’s views. The Russian data generally align with global trends but exhibit distinct national characteristics. The findings support the need for a differentiated approach in developing youth policy and civic education programs that take gender into account.