Gendering Post-Soviet Space

This volume brings together economics, sociology and demography to examine, through empirical research, the labor market and social demographic processes in post-Soviet transitional societies, always with a focus on gender. It includes studies of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

The book responds to a shortage of academic empirical work on gender differences in the labor markets of post-Soviet countries. Topics include gender inequalities in fertility preferences, gender disparities among young and older people, the gender pay gap, differences in employment, and the voices of women themselves.

The contributors are researchers from different disciplines and countries, which makes the project both international and interdisciplinary. They draw on quantitative analysis of survey micro-data as well as qualitative analysis of interviews, giving a detailed overview of economic and social developments in the region from a gender perspective.

The book has three parts. The first covers gender differences and demography, including family formation, fertility, and youth and elderly employment. The second turns to gender differences in the labor market, with chapters on the gender wage gap, the motherhood wage penalty, differences among freelancers, and women in STEM. The third looks at well-being and gender equality attitudes, including women's voices, women's collective action, attitudes toward gender equality, and the spending patterns of housewives.