Sigareva E.P., Sivoplyasova S. Yu. Reproductive and migration attitudes of contemporary youth of the EAEU states (Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan: a case study). Central Asia and Caucasus. 2021. Vol. 22. No. 2. Pp. 122-139.

Abstract

The article is devoted to the current aspects of demographic development in the EAEU member states in the context of studying the specifics of the reproductive and migratory behavior of young people in Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The modern generation of young people in post-Soviet countries over the past three decades has been influenced by various factors that have radically transformed their views on family, childbirth and migration. Their attitudes towards reproductive and migratory behavior will dominate the future demographic trends not only in each of the studied countries, but also in the Eurasian space as a whole. Therefore, a detailed study of the attitudes of the young and educated generation is the most important task of demographic and sociological sciences. Based on the results of a sociological survey conducted using a unified methodology, the article examines the features of reproductive and migratory behavior in countries at different stages of the “demographic transition.” It reveals the peculiarities of the respondents’ attitude from the three states to official marriage, age preferences for starting a family and giving birth to their first child. Reproductive judgments regarding anticipated and ideal number of children are identified. The use of the ranking method allowed to detect the normative childbearing models in the three countries and the differences between them. The conclusion states that in all the states in question, the prevailing socio-economic conditions are an obstacle to the implementation of the existing ideal reproductive attitudes. The gender peculiarities of the views of young people in the three countries on extramarital unions, reproductive patterns and “planned childlessness” were noted. The article demonstrates that, with regard to the results of the study, in the next 25 to 30 years families in Russia will likely have a small number of children, in Kazakhstan—an average number, and reproductive behavior in Kyrgyzstan will likely retain its tendency towards having many children. The article also contains conclusions about specific migration attitudes based on the replies to questions about the preferred place to apply professional skills, create a family and have children. The dependence of migration attitudes on gender and country of residence has been revealed. Based on empirical data, the groups of respondents characterized by pragmatic, patriotic and antipatriotic migratory behavior have been identified. It was determined that young people who live in Kyrgyzstan are more focused on moving to a new place of residence, while all respondents are quite cosmopolitan in regard to the place of application of their professional skills, and students are most patriotic about the place to start a family. The article is devoted to the current aspectsof demographic development inthe EAEU member states in the contextof studying the specifics of the reproductiveand migratory behavior of youngpeople in Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.The modern generation of young peoplein post-Soviet countries over the pastthree decades has been influenced by variousfactors that have radically transformedtheir views on family, childbirth and migration.Their attitudes towards reproductiveand migratory behavior will dominate thefuture demographic trends not only in eachof the studied countries, but also in the Eurasianspace as a whole. Therefore, a detailedstudy of the attitudes of the young andeducated generation is the most importanttask of demographic and sociological sciences.Based on the results of a sociologicalsurvey conducted using a unified methodology,the article examines the features of reproductiveand migratory behavior in countriesat different stages of the “demographictransition.” It reveals the peculiarities of therespondents’ attitude from the three statesto official marriage, age preferences forstarting a family and giving birth to their firstchild. Reproductive judgments regarding anticipatedand ideal number of children areidentified. The use of the ranking method allowedto detect the normative childbearingmodels in the three countries and the differencesbetween them. The conclusion statesthat in all the states in question, the prevailingsocio-economic conditions are an obstacleto the implementation of the existingideal reproductive attitudes. The gender peculiaritiesof the views of young people in thethree countries on extramarital unions, reproductivepatterns and “planned childlessness”were noted. The article demonstratesthat, with regard to the results of the study,in the next 25 to 30 years families in Russiawill likely have a small number of children, inKazakhstan—an average number, and reproductivebehavior in Kyrgyzstan will likelyretain its tendency towards having manychildren.The article also contains conclusionsabout specific migration attitudes based onthe replies to questions about the preferredplace to apply professional skills, create afamily and have children. The dependenceof migration attitudes on gender and countryof residence has been revealed. Based onempirical data, the groups of respondentscharacterized by pragmatic, patriotic andantipatriotic migratory behavior have beenidentified. It was determined that young peoplewho live in Kyrgyzstan are more focusedon moving to a new place of residence, whileall respondents are quite cosmopolitan inregard to the place of application of theirprofessional skills, and students are mostpatriotic about the place to start a family.

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