Publication of the article by the Heads of the Research and Study Group in the special edition of the Journal of Social Policy Studies

In September 2018, an article by the Head of the Research Group Olga G. Isupova and the Co-Head Valeria Utkina called Young Women in Russian Public Administration: The Factors Determining Career Paths was published in the special issue of the Journal of Social Policy Studies: Gender Policy.

The position of women in organisations within the Russian Federation’s system of government is the main concern of the study. On the basis of 32 interviews with young women who have experience of work in state administration, the authors study the issue of whether state administration is more of a 'feminine' or 'masculine' sphere of work, and why women here do not occupy the highest positions. The stereotype about the division of labor was revealed: feminine work is usually connected with being an assistant or organizing things while masculine type of work is about responsibility and power. Women in the state administration, as a rule, experience lack of aspiration towards the positions of high levels of power as it is often associated with the perceived incompatibility of such positions with socially stereotypical ‘woman’s personal life’, which is considered to be more time-consuming than that of a man.

At the same time, many women express aspirations for a professional career as an expert. They are usually not satisfied with routine work and low salaries. These self-esteem and high career expectations might be associated with women’s high levels of education.

 

The full article is available here: https://jsps.hse.ru/article/view/8030