Russian Youth Policy: Shaping the Nation-State's Future

Abstract

The collapse of the USSR and the resulting devastation of Russia's economy created a multitude of acute social problems. At the same time, the sudden, massive exposure to globalization constituted a double-edged sword: While opening up a world of possibilities, it also exacerbated cultural fragmentation and diminished social cohesion. As a result, since 1991 Russia—like all of the other post-Soviet states—has been embroiled in the process of nation-building, which involves the creation of new institutions of governance as well as new systems of meaning and order. Increasingly, the focus of such efforts has been on the socialization of youth, reflecting a recognition that successful nation-building depends on enlisting the loyalty and active participation of young people. Youth policy thus represents part of a larger attempt to anchor state and society within a sound institutional framework—one which, under Putin, is marked by a telltale mixture of delegation and centralization. This article reviews the pattern of current youth policymaking in Russia, outlining the contours of the relevant legislation as well as the nature of the political process involved.