Socialization, Rationality, and Age: Generational Gaps and the Attitudes toward the Chechen War in Russia

Abstract

In this article, I focus on the factor of age as a determinant of individual support for the use of force by the government. I argue that socialization theory, as a key conceptual frame, should be supplemented by rational choice explanations for understanding individual preferences more fully. Employing survey data on the Chechen conflict, I investigate generational gaps in Russia regarding the government's use of force, and the form those gaps take. Empirically, I substantiate a theoretical claim that several generations exist in Russia, each with its own attitudes and beliefs, including the so‐called “second edition of the Decembrists,” “the people of the ‘60s,” “the people of the ‘70s,” “the generation of perestroika,” “the disappointed generation,” and a “lost generation/mega‐consumers.” I find strong, albeit surprising, evidence of a generational gap in Russia, with respondents born in different time periods, especially “the ‘60s people” and “mega‐consumers” expressing variable attitudes toward the Chechnya conflict. Related Articles Brader, Ted A., and Joshua A. Tucker. 2009. “What's Left Behind When the Party's Over: Survey Experiments on the Effects of Partisan Cues in Putin's Russia.” Politics & Policy 37 (4): 843‐868. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2009.00201.x Smyth, Regina. 2014. “The Putin Factor: Personalism, Protest, and Regime Stability in Russia.” Politics & Policy 42 (4): 567‐592. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12080 Stegmaier, Mary A., and Gwyn Erb. 2008. “Gender and Generation Gaps in Russian Economic Values during the Yeltsin Years.” Politics & Policy 33 (3): 416‐443. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2005.tb00802.x

Note from the Editor

“…Traveling next to Australia, Narelle Miragliotta, Sarah Murray, and Martin Drum examine "Values, Partisan Interest, and the Voting Age: Lessons from Australia." This adds detail and perspective to the findings of past P&P articles on youth political participation (see Khodair, AboElsoud, and Khalifa 2019) and, more broadly, concerning politics and generations (see e.g., Dauda 2010;Fisher 2020;Shaykhutdinov 2019;Stegmaier and Erb 2005). It likewise enhances continued comparative analysis across time and states regarding voter turnout, institutional obstruction, and political participation, as well as an effective application of veto player theory.…”

A systematic review and meta‐analysis of associations between primarily non‐autistic people's characteristics and attitudes toward autistic people

“…In autism research, socialization theories may provide a way to understand potential associations between attitudes and sociodemographic factors such as age and gender as sociocultural norms and values may influence how particular social groups present themselves and interact. Studies on cohort effects (i.e., enduring generational variations that characterize specific age groups; Glenn, 2005; Mason et al, 1973) suggest that norms and values are embedded within generational cohorts through socialization (Shaykhutdinov, 2019). People of different age cohorts are socialized into their societies through unique peer relationships, education, technological advancements, and specific events such as pandemics, wars, or other societal upheavals that impact them in unique ways (Gugushvili & Kabachnik, 2015; Ryder, 1965).…”