The Laboratory for Comparative Social Research announces the next regular seminar, which will be held in St. Petersburg (Sedova st., 55-2, room 303) on January 29 at 17-00 p.m. Anna Nemirovskaya (LCSR, Senior research fellow) and Vladimir Kozlov (associate professor, Department of Demographics, NRU HSE) will deliver a report “Social and Demographic Challenges in the Modern Russian Frontier: Mortality Threats”. The discussants are Natalia Soboleva (LCSR, Senior research fellow), Olga Strebkova (LCSR, Research fellow).

This research is analyzing current social and demographic issues in the frontier regions of Russia, e.g. relatively recently settled regions in the North and East of Russia, with scarce population, mostly concentrated in cities and towns. Though current demographic situation in the frontier zone, compared to the most of Russian regions, could be seen as relatively favorable, especially in regard to natural population increase, this macro-region faces such demographic challenges as increasing out-migration of settlers` population with higher human capital and incoming migration from CIS countries with lower human capital, higher levels of homicides, suicides, shorter life expectancy, higher level of abortions, higher rate of deaths from external causes and higher rate of violence in general, compared to both the country`s central-European part and the country average levels. The regions, belonging to Russian frontier zone, are differentiated from central zone not only by specific socio-cultural traits of its` population, but also by harsher economic and climatic living conditions, poorer environmental and criminal situations, lower provision of public good and social infrastructure. Starting with description of socio-demographic and quality of life challenges in contemporary Russian frontier, that are crucial for the country` s sustainable development, the paper focuses on mortality threats. Employing regression analysis on regional statistical data provided by the Federal State Statistic Service, this research explores possible reasons for higher rates in deaths caused by alcohol intoxication, suicides and homicides in different social groups, controlling for a number of socio-economic factors and natural conditions of frontier life.

Everyone interested is invited!

Working language is English.

Videoconference with Moscow office of the LCSR will be provided. Also after the seminar a videotape will be put up after the summary of the presentation.

Guests from outside the HSE are invited to make a request for a pass to the building in Moscow to Ekaterina Kuldina (ekuldina@hse.ru) by 11 am of the seminar's day. Guests from St. Petersburg are free to enter the building.