Sadykova H. N. Specific Character of Intergenerational Interaction in Contemporary Russia (The Case of Tyumen Oblast)
(Tyumen State Oil and Gas University)
Abstract ♦ The paper presents a theoretical and practical analysis of the general problem of intergenerational interaction and the case of Tyumen Oblast as its particular Russian example. We have analyzed the outcomes of a questionnaire-based survey conducted in 2014 among 700 residents of the south of Tyumen Oblast.
The assessment of present-day changes in society allowed us to point at age-related differences in the respondents' answers. Thus, the older generation tends to compare the current state of affairs with their Soviet past, never giving the economy a dominant status. The young compare the opportunities available to them in Russia and abroad, correctly assuming that they have broad prospects for social and professional socialization.
The survey proved that the hypothesis of the loss of family values and decreased role of family relationships is completely unfounded. Analysis of the respondents’ values showed that the significance and topicality of a particular value depends not only on the gender and age of a respondent, but also on their education, marital status, occupation, place of residence, etc. The loss of certain values is most frequently explained by the “reform of the political system”, “influence of Western ideology" and “changes in the educational system”.
Our study also included focusing on intergenerational relations in the cultural aspect. The older generation (the “grandfathers”) believe that the future of intergenerational interaction will be conflictual, while the young suggest that extremism of the youth may prevent it from building a culture of the future on their own.
The article closes with several conclusions. Firstly, the problems of social life are perceived by all generations almost identically — the differences are due to the maximalism of the youth and the nostalgic memories of the older generation. Gender differences have proven insignificant. Secondly, the greatest pessimism is often observed in the middle-aged, i.e. the professionally employed and socialized part of the population. Thirdly, the survey confirmed our hypothesis that values and orientations are cyclical and thus intergenerational relations should be viewed from the perspective of communicative impediments rather than age differences. Fourthly, we have outlined the basic values that all generations a priori perceive as the "axial" ones. Fifthly, any attempt to “sync” the pace of life between all generations is doomed to fail. Functional specialization of generations is thus the truly topical direction for improving intergenerational relations.
Keywords: generation, intergenerational interaction, values, youth, the older generation.
Sadykova Hadiya Nurgalievna, Assistant Professor, Department of Commodity Markets Economy, Tyumen State Oil and Gas University. Postal address: 38 Volodarskogo St., Tyumen, Russian Federation, 625000. Tel.: +7 (3452) 22-01-20. E-mail: . Research adviser: Doctor of Social Sciences, Professor Vera V. Gavriliuk.
Citation: Sadykova, H. N. (2014) Spetsifika mezhpokolennogo vzaimodeistviia v sovremennoi Rossii (na primere Tiumenskoi oblasti) [Specific Character of Intergenerational Interaction in Contemporary Russia (The Case of Tyumen Oblast)]. Znanie. Ponimanie. Umenie, no. 4, pp. 117–124. (In Russ.).
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