Institutional Factors in Reproductive Decision-Making Among Large Families in Russia

  • Tamara K. Rostovskaya Institute for Demographic Research—Branch of the Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia; Peoples Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, Russia http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1629-7780
  • Oksana V. Kuchmaeva Institute for Demographic Research—Branch of the Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0386-857X
  • Ekaterina N. Vasilieva Institute for Demographic Research—Branch of the Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0460-5539
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15826/csp.2024.8.2.274

Abstract

Amidst pressing global challenges and internal demographic threats, it is crucial to understand the institutional dynamics shaping the well-being of large families. This study delves into the intricate web of institutional factors that influence the prosperity of such families, examining key theoretical frameworks including institutional theory, human and social capital theories, and concepts of family. The empirical investigation draws upon extensive data sources, encompassing population censuses spanning five decades (1970–2020) and the comprehensive 2021 All-Russian sociological study Demograficheskoe samochuvstvie regionov Rossii [Demographic Well-Being of the Regions of Russia]. We conducted 22 in-depth interviews with members of large families across 10 regions. These interviews gave us a nuanced picture of the trends in family structure and the reasons behind reproductive decisions within these families. While institutional support is viewed as a “bonus” rather than a decisive factor in reproductive decisions, parents require various resources, including material, temporal, socio-psychological, informational, and educational resources, to develop necessary family and human capital skills. Furthermore, the study identifies the institutional conditions and resources crucial for bolstering the well-being of large families as well as the importance of effective family policies.

Author Biographies

Tamara K. Rostovskaya, Institute for Demographic Research—Branch of the Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia; Peoples Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, Russia

Tamara K. Rostovskaya, Dr. Sci. (Sociology), Professor, Deputy Director for Research of the Institute for Demographic Research—Branch of the Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Director of the Institute of Modern Languages, Intercultural Communication and Migration, RUDN University. She has published more than 600 research works. Her research interests cover such themes as sociology of family, sociology of youth, state family-demographic policy, fertility, migration, measures of social support, demographic education.

Oksana V. Kuchmaeva, Institute for Demographic Research—Branch of the Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

Oksana V. Kuchmaeva, Dr. Sci. (Economics), Full Professor; Principal Researcher of the Institute for Demographic Research—Branch of the Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Her research interests cover such topical topics as demography, state family and demographic policy, fertility, statistics, social support measures, and demographic well-being.

Ekaterina N. Vasilieva, Institute for Demographic Research—Branch of the Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

Ekaterina N. Vasilieva, Dr. Sci. (Sociology), Associate Professor, Principal Researcher of the Institute for Demographic Research—Branch of the Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. She has published more than 100 research articles in the fields of sociology of family, economic sociology (youth economic activity), measures of social support of the population.

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Published
2024-07-19
How to Cite
Rostovskaya, T., Kuchmaeva, O., & Vasilieva, E. (2024). Institutional Factors in Reproductive Decision-Making Among Large Families in Russia. Changing Societies & Personalities, 8(2), 267–290. doi:10.15826/csp.2024.8.2.274
Citation Formats
Issue
Vol. 8, No. 2 (2024): Special Issue “Demographic Well-Being as a Factor of Social Development”
Section
Articles in the Special Section