Generation Z in Russia: The Digital Divide of the Generation Putin

Abstract

Russia seems to be a separate phenomenon for researchers and scientists in Europe. It happens due to several facts: the country emerged from the Soviet Union quite recently, has a huge territory that extends also to the East and leads not only to all kinds of diversity but also to a strong divide in the society. All of the above affects any research held in Russia.

With a total population of around 145 million Generation Z amounts only 35 million people. Unlike some European countries, Russian Generation Z is considered to be born in 2000. That leads us to two important points. First, this generation was born in Russian Federation and its members do not identify themselves with Soviet Union in any way. Second, they were raised at permanent Putin’s presidency, meaning he was the main ruler of the country since 2000, so Generation Z in Russia may be justly called ‘The Putin Generation’.

This chapter offers three key conclusions. First of all, Generation Z in the European sense (technologically educated progressive young people) can only be discovered in the largest cities in Russia. The other part of the country might not be representative due to the lower level of living, digital divide and lack of changings. Second, the impact of traditions and traditional values in the society still forms the public opinion even among the youngsters. Third, the Generation Z in Russia might be called the generation of contradictions according to the results of focus groups and public surveys.

Citation

Vyugina, D. (2019), "Generation Z in Russia: The Digital Divide of the Generation Putin", Scholz, C. and Rennig, A. (Ed.) Generations Z in Europe (The Changing Context of Managing People), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 253-274. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-78973-491-120191020