Gender Differences in the Life Strategies of Russian Youth
Data from 1994 interviews with 30 secondary school & university students in the humanities in St. Petersburg, Russia show how gender stereotypes impact their life goals & problem-solving strategies. The low wages & low status of the humanitarian professions in Russia place an increased economic & psychological burden on students of the humanities. The most significant problem they faced was alienation from both traditional Soviet values & the beliefs & institutions of the post-Soviet world. Motherhood & marriage were the primary concerns of female students, & the ideal partner was depicted as both emotionally & economically supportive. These women also sought professional success, but most were uncertain regarding how they would combine their professional & family responsibilities in the future. Economic independence, self-fulfillment, & social status were the fundamental concerns of male respondents, & many listed higher education as a means of achieving these goals & avoiding military service. Most men saw family & marriage as a threat to their independence. Both genders faced the problematic desire for independence & personal growth in an environment of economic insecurity that threatened to undermine these goals. T. Sevier