Journal «Woman in Russian Society»Articles – Journal «Woman in Russian Society»

Shvedova N. A. Women and power: an analysis of political representation, р.3-15

Инна Кодина — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 07:26:11 +0000

This article examines the equality of women and men in society and women's political participation. It covers a wide range of topics, from theoretical understanding of the nature of power and gender analysis to historical precedents and practical barriers to women's integration into political structures. The gender dimension of power and political representation is a key issue in contemporary political science. The relevance of this topic is undeniable, as amid global democratic transitions, rising authoritarian tendencies, and increased international attention to the gender agenda (the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Beijing Platform for Action), the issue of women's integration into political structures is acquiring not only theoretical but also practical significance. The nature of gender relations correlates with the type of political regime, offering a compelling research opportunity. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, speaking about the root causes of the persistence of gender discrimination, emphasized the role of “millennia of patriarchy," which has created a world where «males dominate, male-dominated culture harms everyone—women, men, girls, and boys»”. Moreover, “bias and discrimination" harm everyone. It is, at its core, a question of power” [Secretary-General’s Remarks…, 2020]. There are many questions within this topic. Why are women needed in power? What is power? What is the connection between the national mechanism for gender equality and women in power? What prevents women from entering power? What are the ways and means of overcoming barriers to political success? The author offers her answers.

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Rostovskaya T. K., Rychikhina N. S., Sinelnikov A. B. The demographic potential of young rural families (Based on the example of the Ivanovo Region), р.15-35

Инна Кодина — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 07:27:28 +0000

The article highlights the importance of young rural families in developing Russia's demographic potential. The authors examined the demographic potential of families living
in rural areas of the Ivanovo Region. The article identifies the reasons for the decline in the rural population of the Ivanovo Region: aging population, decrease in the number of women of reproductive age, and migration of young people to cities. The authors identified the main trends among contemporary young rural families: young couples postponing marriage, young women delaying the birth of their first child, educational migration of young people from rural areas to cities, instability of marital unions, and a shift toward smaller families. The article discusses a set of state and regional financial and social measures aimed at improving the well-being of young rural families. The purpose of the study is to analyze the demographic potential of young rural families and the factors influencing its formation, as well as state and regional support measures aimed at improving the well-being of rural families. The methodological basis of the study is represented by indicators of demographic development in the region and a list of
regulatory and legal documents and legislative acts of the Russian Federation.

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Grigorieva N. S., Chubarova T. V. Women and men in the healthcare system: a socio-economic agenda, р.36-53

Инна Кодина — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 07:28:59 +0000

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of gender disparities in health status and interactions with the healthcare system in the Russia, grounded in a socio-economic perspective. The research employs a gender approach methodology, which examines social constructs of gender and their influence on shaping healthcare needs. Empirical data sources include Rosstat statistics, national population health surveys, and extensive national and international studies. Key limitations in current gender-disaggregated data are highlighted, particularly the insufficient availability of sexdisaggregated indicators, which hinders in-depth scientific and practical research. The article identifies major health issues and characteristics among Russian men and women: disparities in life expectancy, healthy life expectancy, self-rated health, prevalence of chronic diseases, behavioral risk factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption. Socio-economic determinants including income, poverty levels, education, employment, and the gendered division of unpaid domestic labor are examined for their considerable impact on healthcare access and utilization. The paper reviews important international frameworks and strategic documents such as the 1995 Beijing Declaration, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals agenda to 2030, and relevant Russian national programs aimed
at reducing gender health inequities. The authors argue for moving beyond traditional gender stereotypes toward a systemic approach that accounts for differentiated needs of various social groups and builds health policy based on gender-sensitive data. The concept of “gender points” is argued for as a tool for identifying and overcoming inequalities in health and healthcare. Organizational and methodological challenges are considered, including the urgent need to expand and improve gender statistics, raise healthcare providers’ awareness of gender influences, integrate gender perspectives into clinical research and practice, and foster intersectoral collaboration to tackle complex genderbased health issues. The influence of gender roles on patient behavior is explored, highlighting male stoicism and women’s caregiving roles in family health management, alongside the creation of social conditions that promote healthy behaviors and equitable access to quality healthcare for all population segments. In conclusion, the paper emphasizes that implementing gender-sensitive health policies are crucial for advancing public health and sustainable socio-economic development.

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Smirnova I. N., Khasbulatova O. A. Small towns as living spaces: social attitudes and migration intentions among female college students, р. 54-62

Инна Кодина — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 07:30:14 +0000

This article presents the results of a sociological study on social attitudes and migration intentions among female college students. The relevance of this issue stems from the need to understand the factors influencing social and migration attitudes, as well as the reproductive attitudes of young women, who are a key resource for the demographic and socioeconomic development of small regions. The authors’ analysis of empirical data revealed a contradiction between the respondents’ high career ambitions and the limited opportunities of local labor markets. The authors identified the structure of demands regarding the quality of the urban environment, which is predominantly basic and infrastructure-related. Using cluster analysis, four types of migration strategies were identified: “stayers,” “integrated,” “ambivalent,” and “care-oriented”. The article concludes that a contemplative social mindset predominates among young women. The respondents also expressed a potential willingness to live in small towns with a modern, safe, and comfortable environment for living, working, and raising children.

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Zakharova L. N., Saralieva Z. Kh. -M., Saygina E. V. The dynamics of trust among young female engineers working overtime: a case study of a manufacturing company, р. 63-77

Инна Кодина — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 07:31:26 +0000

The purpose of this article is to identify the dynamics of trust among young female engineers who work overtime. Trust is examined as a protective factor against stress and
a prerequisite for the formation of a company’s social capital. The authors conducted a study at innovative and conventional enterprises within a large machine-building holding company. Over a two-year period of overtime work by the young female engineers at the innovative enterprise, the authors studied the specifics of objects of trust in the form of corporate values, the holding company as a whole, and its CEO. In addition, the authors also analyzed the specifics of the aforementioned objects of trust in the context of a lack of workload at the conventional enterprise. For the first time, the article identifies a fundamental phenomenon in the dynamics of values associated with the work experience of the young female engineers. It manifests itself in a decline in trust in corporate values and the company as a whole. However, the level of trust in the CEO increased, regardless of the nature of the difficulties faced by the young female engineers. The article also examines the risk of losing the most innovation-oriented young female engineers from the innovative enterprise and the growing opportunities to increase the innovation orientation of the young female engineers in the conventional enterprise.

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Sigareva E. P., Sivoplyasova S. Yu. Fertility: regional imbalance, р. 78-91

Инна Кодина — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 07:40:42 +0000

This article examines the phenomenon of regional differentiation in fertility rates in Russia in the context of intensified state demographic policy. The aim of the study was to identify trends in the transformation of fertility patterns in real generations during the 2010—2020 intercensal period based on a new research approach to measuring regional differentiation in fertility rates in specific family cohorts: single-child, two-child, and multi-child families. The results of the study showed that the target indicators of the effectiveness of measures to support demographic development in Russian regions, as well as the convergence of regional models of childhood, can be not only the total fertility rate, but also statistically measurable indicators of regional differentiation of childhood in each group of families: single-child, two-child, and multi-child. During the period under review between the last two censuses, a trend towards convergence in childbearing patterns emerged: there was a sharp decline in the number of regions where the one-child model prevailed, and positive shifts were observed in the cohorts of Russian families with two or more children. This article can serve as a basis for forecasting regional fertility indicators and, most importantly, for assessing the necessary measures of regional socio-economic policy in the context of the implementation of the national project “Family”.

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Dobrokhleb V. G. Trends in the population size and age-sex structure of Russia and its regions, р. 92-104

Инна Кодина — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 07:43:12 +0000

The relevance of this study stems from the fundamental importance of population dynamics and its age-sex structure, as these parameters shape human potential and significantly influence national security. The purpose of this article is to analyze scientific facts and provide the author’s interpretation of existing patterns in the current age-sex structure of the population, primarily in Russia and its regions. The object of the study is the age-sex structure of the population in a number of countries, including regions of the Russian Federation. The subject of the study concerns the gender aspect of the age-sex structure of the population. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the confirmation of the conclusion that the age-sex structure of both federal districts and the largest constituent entities of the Russian Federation is heterogeneous. The article reveals that these territories are characterized by varying levels of demographic aging and significant gaps in the sex ratio. The article demonstrates that the majority of the most populous constituent entities of the Russian Federation are characterized by a surplus of women, which necessitates effective social policy. Thus, the formation
of a new gender order becomes the most important focus of such social policy.

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Pushkareva N. L. The women's “scientific regiment”: representatives of the academic community during the Great Patriotic War, р. 105-119

Инна Кодина — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 07:44:49 +0000

The article fills a gap in Russian historiography, which has not paid attention to the scientific discoveries and achievements made by women scientists during the Great Patriotic War. The article also summarizes information about the contributions made to their fields of knowledge by women mathematicians, physicists, representatives of the natural sciences and medicine, as well as historians. The author's goal is to highlight the distinctive features of the daily lives of women scientists from 1941 to 1945, when women had to take care of their families, provide them with everything they needed, and perform their usual professional duties, often replacing colleagues who had gone to the front in scientific and administrative positions. The author confirmed the working hypothesis that women's contribution to science remained underestimated not only during the war years, when it was not reflected in the media of the time, but also many decades later.

Acknowledgments: This research was conducted as part of the 2024—2026 Research Program of the Miklouho-Maclay Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian
Academy of Sciences, “Gender Studies of Urban and Rural Everyday Life: A Historical and Anthropological Perspective”.

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Suleimanova R. N. Regional family policy in the late 1970s and 1980s: historical lessons (Based on the example of the Bashkir ASSR), р. 120-129

Инна Кодина — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 07:46:22 +0000

This article examines the experience of implementing regional family policy in the Bashkir ASSR in the late 1970s and 1980s. A brief analysis of the literature revealed that this
issue has not been sufficiently studied. The main sources were the Comprehensive Plan of Measures to Improve the Demographic Situation in the Republic and Regulate the Movement of the Rural Population of the Bashkir ASSR (1978) and the Comprehensive Program to Improve the Demographic Situation in the Bashkir ASSR for 1985—1990. The implementation of regional family policy in the late 1970s and 1980s in the Bashkir ASSR yielded a number of positive results: an increase in the birth rate, a decrease in infant and maternal mortality, an increase in housing construction, and an increase in the number of preschool institutions. However, the republic continued to lag behind other regions in terms of social infrastructure, and population outflow remained high. The deterioration of the socio-economic situation in the Bashkir ASSR led to a decline in the
results achieved by the end of the 1980s.

Acknowledgments: The research was conducted with the support of a grant from the Russian Science Foundation No. 25-28-00153 «“In unity there is prosperity”: protecting the family and preserving traditional family values in the multinational Republic of Bashkortostan (1945—2025)»), available from https://rscf.ru/project/25-28-00153/

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Gabdrafikova L. R., Mironova E. V. «I shouted: what are you doing, I'll go and stir up the men»: midwives and female paramedics in the Russian provinces at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, р. 120-143

Инна Кодина — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 07:49:28 +0000

The article examines the processes of establishing the midwifery profession and the nature of women's medical activities in the Kazan province in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Based on archival, periodical, and statistical materials, as well as published administrative documentation from the district country councils of the Kazan Governorate from the 1870`s to the 1900`s, the training of midwives and paramedics at various educational institutions in the country and the governorate was demonstrated. The motives that prompted women to choose medical professions were analyzed, as well as the reasons why women from the capital moved to the provinces to practice medicine. The authors studied the working conditions of midwives, in particular, their salaries, job responsibilities, relationships with colleagues, district and provincial administrations, and the peasant population. The social barriers faced by women seeking to pursue medical careers are highlighted. The authors conclude that women were interested in medical professions as a means of achieving economic independence, despite the difficulties they faced in their work at that time. In addition, it is emphasized that medical specialties were chosen by girls from wealthy families, as only they could afford to pay for tuition, or local authorities sent their scholarship recipients to educational institutions. The authors focused on the ethnic and religious characteristics of the Kazan province. Examples of midwifery practices among Muslim women are provided.

Acknowledgements: This work was supported by a grant from the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan (2024) for fundamental and applied scientific research in scientific and educational institutions, enterprises, and organizations in the real sector of the economy of the Republic of Tatarstan

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