This edited volume sheds light on the lives of young people in various central and peripheral regions of Russia, including youth belonging to different ethnic and religious groups and who have differing views on contemporary politics. While the literature continues to grow regarding the inclusion of youth in global contexts, the specific cultural, political, and economic circumstances of being young in Russia make the Russian case unique. Chapter authors focus on four key aspects that characterize the youth experience in contemporary Russia: cultural practices and value affiliations, citizenship and patriotism, ethnic and religious diversity, and the labor market. This collection will appeal to readers interested in contemporary life in Russia and looking for the latest empirical material on youth identities and cultures, as well as those looking to learn about the critical viewpoint of local academics regarding the ongoing processes in contemporary Russian society.

This volume examines societal change in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Russia in a purposeful movement away from the generalized debated associated with 'transition' theory and a simultaneous engagement with the complexities of everyday life throughout the region at the local level. In addition to addressing the problematic nature of a discursive east-west divide, Trans-National Issues, Local Concerns and Meanings of Post-Socialism brings together a range of academics and practitioners working on specific locally-situated concerns including drug use, HIV/AIDS, health, identity, and welfare as well as issues related to minority ethnic groups. While drawing attention to the salience of a common socialist past, these empirically-rich chapters highlight the importance of moving beyond simplistic east-west analytical framework in order to acknowledge the multifaceted societal realties evident with the former socialist countries of CEE and Russia.

Russia's Skinheads: Exploring and Rethinking Subcultural Lives provides a thorough examination of the phenomenon of skinheads, explaining its nature and its significance, and assessing how far Russian skinhead subculture is the 'lumpen' end of the extreme nationalist ideological spectrum. There are large numbers of skinheads in Russia, responsible for a significant number of xenophobic attacks, including 97 deaths in 2008 alone, making this book relevant to Russian specialists as well as to sociologists of youth subculture. It provides a practical example of how to investigate youth subculture in depth over an extended period - in this case through empirical research following a specific group over six years - and goes on to argue that Russian skinhead subculture is not a direct import from the West, and that youth cultural practices should not be reduced to expressions of consumer choice. It presents an understanding of the Russian skinhead as a product of individuals' whole, and evolving, lives, and thereby compels sociologists to rethink how they conceive the nature of subcultures.

This volume examines societal change in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Russia in a purposeful movement away from the generalized debated associated with 'transition' theory and a simultaneous engagement with the complexities of everyday life throughout the region at the local level. In addition to addressing the problematic nature of a discursive east-west divide, Trans-National Issues, Local Concerns and Meanings of Post-Socialism brings together a range of academics and practitioners working on specific locally-situated concerns including drug use, HIV/AIDS, health, identity, and welfare as well as issues related to minority ethnic groups. While drawing attention to the salience of a common socialist past, these empirically-rich chapters highlight the importance of moving beyond simplistic east-west analytical framework in order to acknowledge the multifaceted societal realties evident with the former socialist countries of CEE and Russia.

Russia's Skinheads: Exploring and Rethinking Subcultural Lives provides a thorough examination of the phenomenon of skinheads, explaining its nature and its significance, and assessing how far Russian skinhead subculture is the 'lumpen' end of the extreme nationalist ideological spectrum. There are large numbers of skinheads in Russia, responsible for a significant number of xenophobic attacks, including 97 deaths in 2008 alone, making this book relevant to Russian specialists as well as to sociologists of youth subculture. It provides a practical example of how to investigate youth subculture in depth over an extended period - in this case through empirical research following a specific group over six years - and goes on to argue that Russian skinhead subculture is not a direct import from the West, and that youth cultural practices should not be reduced to expressions of consumer choice. It presents an understanding of the Russian skinhead as a product of individuals' whole, and evolving, lives, and thereby compels sociologists to rethink how they conceive the nature of subcultures.

This edited volume sheds light on the lives of young people in various central and peripheral regions of Russia, including youth belonging to different ethnic and religious groups and who have differing views on contemporary politics. While the literature continues to grow regarding the inclusion of youth in global contexts, the specific cultural, political, and economic circumstances of being young in Russia make the Russian case unique. Chapter authors focus on four key aspects that characterize the youth experience in contemporary Russia: cultural practices and value affiliations, citizenship and patriotism, ethnic and religious diversity, and the labor market. This collection will appeal to readers interested in contemporary life in Russia and looking for the latest empirical material on youth identities and cultures, as well as those looking to learn about the critical viewpoint of local academics regarding the ongoing processes in contemporary Russian society.