Authors

Discussion

The presentation is dealing with the practices of distribution of the ideas of “traditional values” and “familism” in Russia and their implications for interpretations of maternity in the context of militarization and  growth of Russia’s imperial ambitions (early 2010- 2022). “Traditional values” are supported and distributed by several different actors who see the ideal family as a nuclear family with several children, reject abortion and consider maternity to be woman’s most important social responsibility. The organizations and public intellectuals promoting this vision of maternity in the recent years enjoyed a significant economic, legal and cultural support of the state interested in controlling reproductive capacities of women’s bodies for strengthening Russian geopolitical position. The important  role in promoting traditional values played the state controlled civil society organizations which grew in the context of ban for the international funding for NGOs and anti-Western propaganda; state associated women’s organizations have a prominent role among the actors mobilizing women to be “good mothers” according to the interest of the state and the nation. Thus, together to organizations connected to the Christian Right (like Classical Conversations – Klassicheskie besedy) in my presentation I pay special attention to Women’s Union of Russia and Union of Women’s Forces. The presentation is based on analysis of digital and printed