Intergenerational changes in the sequence of the first demographic events of Russians

The sequence of demographic events is a very indicative parameter of demographic changes. It demonstrates how diversely different generations construct their demographic life course, what they prefer to do first and when. The first demographic events are more interesting than events of other orders because all the people usually have at least one of them. It allows comparing different age groups of the population. Moreover, the first demographic events accompany a coming-of-age thus we can see when and how representatives of different generations were becoming adult.
This paper investigates the difference between soviet and post-soviet Russians in family formation and fertility spheres. There were constructed life courses for each generation. Thereupon we analyzed them by Event History Analysis and compared the sequences and the timing of the first reproductive and matrimonial events.
We discovered the striking change of the actual behavior in demographic sphere. The Russian youth are making families and bearing children in absolutely new way than their parents and grandparents were. There is no more hurry to live, obligations to have children if you married, and to marry if you bore a child. There is a new generation with new values and new behavior.