The lost generation: Mature, educated women at Russian research and development and production facilities in defence industries

• Published in: Women's studies international forum 1994-09, Vol.17 (5), p.537-542
• Main Author: Leontieva, Tatiana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Capitalism; Defence industry; Economic reform; Employees; Factors; Military industrial complex; Redundancy; Russia; Value systems; Women; Women's employment
• ISSN: 0277-5395; 1879-243X
• DOI: 10.1016/0277-5395(94)90054-X

The current economic and political reforms in Russia paradoxically gave an opportunity to the “male chauvinists” to initiate a return to what they call “traditional family values”, which represent a curious mixture of Oriental and Victorian cultural influences. The Russian government proclaimed as its major economic goal the conversion of military industries to civilian production, but they have not yet formulated any coherent plan for implementing this conversion. The social aspects of conversion, which will bring massive redundancies, and, particularly, the future of the hundreds of thousands of professional women employed by the military industries are completely ignored by the all-male government. This group of women can be regarded as being a “lost” generation, what former Communists who control Russia now will consider a necessary sacrifice to their new idol of capitalist economic efficiency. Nevertheless, special organizations are being set up to help at least some of these women. Their potential is generally high, and with educational assistance and psychological guidance they will be able to do reasonably well in various new occupations and act as a model and leaders for younger women and a pressure group in politics, particularly on the local and regional levels.