№ 1 (2025)

Modern motherhood is structurally and meaningfully different from the experience of mothers of previous generations. The main driving forces behind the changes include both socio-political factors (transformation of gender roles, strengthening of women’sprofessional positions and understanding of parental care as a special form of social work) and technological solutions (accessible Internet, personal smartphones, social networks and specialized websites and programs). These socio-political factors and technological solutions expand the boundaries of family privacy and allow women to maintain a balance between motherhood and the professional sphere. The purpose of the article is to characterize and analytically comprehend the significance of digital platforms and virtual practices in the lives of modern Russian women with children under the age of three. This age limit is associated, firstly, with the institutional consolidation of the three-year period as a period of priority of maternal functions over labor, and secondly, with the actual full involvement of mothers in the lives of children and maximum concentration on caring for them. Based on the materials of the author’sstudy (analysis of social networks and communities and conducting an online survey and a series of in-depth interviews), the main practices of young Russian mothers, implemented by them in a virtual environment, are considered: communication and integration into maternal communities; search for information, products and services; representation of motherhood; distance employment and economic activity. The article shows that the interpretation of the meaning of digital maternal practices is complicated by the lack of data on the real everyday life of Russian mothers, as well as the lack of a discursive framework and methodology. This problem also concerns determining the potential and risks of digital maternal practices.

In discussions of various scientific studies, political speeches and public discussions, the relevance of forecasting the demographic situation for the long term is growing. The new national project “Family” is a large-scale action plan aimed at strengthening family values, increasing the birth rate and creating conditions for the harmonious development of Russian families. Its main goal is to increase the number of families with children, including large families, which involves not only maintaining traditional support measures, but also introducing new systemic approaches that meet modern challenges. The article examines the structure and areas of activity within the framework of the national project “Family” and characterizes strategic approaches to the implementation of federal projects that make upits structure.

An analysis of the volunteer activity of Belarusian and Russian female students develops scientific ideas about the social activity of young people in countries with similar cultural and sociopolitical development. The purpose of the study is to determine the characteristics and features of volunteering among female students in Russia and Belarus. In Belarus and Russia, 72 % of third-year female students have volunteer experience. The results of the study showed that such activity is due to the social orientation of female students, their interest in participating in collective activities and their intention to join various socially significant events. The participation of Belarusian and Russian female students in volunteer work differs somewhat in characteristics and motivation. Along with altruistic motives and organized working conditions, Russian female students need friends and new knowledge for volunteer participation. Belarusian female students more often respond to personal offers to dovolunteer work. Data from a survey of female students show that Belarusians female students perceive their volunteer activity as participation in social work. Russian female students are engaged in volunteer work on a temporary basis. The governing bodies of the Republic of Belarus consider it important for female students to engage in volunteer work. In Russia, it is advisable to actively promote women’spublic organizations to increase the participation of female students in their projects.

The relevance of addressing this issue is determined by the large-scale transformation of family and demographic parameters of modern Russian society. The purpose of the study is to identify the axiological foundations of the discursive field of thematic family online communities in Russia. Axiological and discursive approaches were used as the methodological basis of the study. The empirical study was conducted in August and September 2024. Three online communities were chosen as the object of analysis: “Parents and teachers! Our children”, “I AM MOTHER!™ Children. Family”, “Parents are down with the kids. Club of modern moms and dads” (Russian social network “VKontakte”). The authors concluded that the absolute fundamental value of the content of these online communities is familism. The values of child-centrism, motherhood, paternity, connection between generations, mutual support, mercy, patriotism, the natural world and others that complement familism are expressed with varying degrees of intensity. The content of online communities is aimed at family and family-related topics, and is also isolated from public (political) life. Families are presented as microcosms, the main tasks of which are to care for children and ensure their safety from the threats of the big world. The intersection of the family and political spheres is captured in one topic, which is national security. The authors concluded that online communities should be qualified as entities that actively produce and implement the values of familism and child-centrism, and offer a positive agenda for strengthening familistic culture and the Russian family as a social group and social institution (at the microand macrolevels).

The article is devoted to the analysis of one of the areas of activity of women’sorganizations in the Russian Empire of the late 19th and early 20th c., which was called “employee assistance”. In terms of the forms and content of social support for women, it went beyond the scope of generally accepted charity. This was not financial assistance. To implement their charitable projects, activists of women’sorganizations used the involvement of women in entrepreneurial activities, involving thousands of low-income women. Thanks to employee assistance, activists of the women’smovement helped women become economically independent and acquire a profession. Self-reliance and mutual support in the activities of women’sorganizations donot lose their relevance in the modern women’smovement.