Russian Social Survey (RSS) on ESS specification and program

RUSSIAN SOCIAL SURVEY (RSS) ON ESS SPECIFICATION AND PROGRAM

ABOUT PROJECT

Russian social survey (RSS) is comparable to European Social Survey (ESS) following the same specifications and standards – questionnaire, sampling method, data collection method and data presentation. This academic project studies attitudes, opinions, values and behavior of residents of Russia compared to other countries of “large Europe”. The surveys are conducted bi-annually using face-to-face interviews on national probability random samples of population 15 years old.

The project employs the most advanced methods and procedures for cross-national surveys. The survey is conducted by the most reputable research institutions in each country qualified to follow highest standard of data quality. ESS data, as well as methods and procedures, serve as a baseline and reference source for many academic projects, policy decisions and evaluations.

The survey in Russia is conducted since year 2006. Since then eight rounds of data collection were implemented and data released to public access.

Round 3 (ESS), Round 1 of RSS – September-December 2006, sample size of 2427 interviews
Round 4 (ESS), Round 2 of RSS – November 2008-January 2009, sample size of 2512 interviews
Round 5 (ESS), Round 3 of RSS – January-April 2011, sample size of 2595 interviews
Round 6 (ESS), Round 4 of RSS – October-December 2012, sample size of 2484 interviews
Round 7 (ESS), Round 5 of RSS – December 2014-Febrary 2015, sample size of 2445 interviews
Round 8 (ESS), Round 6 of RSS – October 2016-Jarnuary 2017, sample size of 2430 interviews
Round 9 (ESS), Round 7 of RSS – November 2018-February 2019, sample size of 2416 interviews.

Round 10 (ESS), Round 8 of RSS – July-December 2021, sample size of 2070 interviews.

The next round of ESS is planned for the fall 2024.

Data

Data documentation and databases are allowed for free access and can be used for academic, educational or informational purposes without any restrictions or embargo.

Survey materials and the description of the survey methodology are allocated at website www.russiansocialsurvey.ru, databases – at www.cessi.ru (DATA BASES). International materials and documentations for ESS in English are located in www.europeansocialsurvey.org (data on Russia for waves 3-6 and 8 only).

Financing

RSS is financed from multiples sources within Russia – it is supported by the Russian Foundation of Basic Research (RFBR), Highest School of Economics (HSE) and other funding institutions.

Content

The purpose of the project is to study stability and change of social attitudes and values, to chart and explain changes in social, political and moral climate and to achieve and spread standards of rigor in cross-national attitude measurement. The survey includes indicators of political values, political behavior, social structure, inequality, social mobility, household composition, labor values, wellbeing, quality of life, religious beliefs and practices, national identity, attitudes toward migration, social capital and general life values.

PUBLICATIONS AND THE USE OF RESULTS

Analytical report prepared on the base on first rounds of the survey in Russia by leading Russian researchers and scholars in different research fields in sociology, political sciences and demography can be found here.

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Results of first rounds of RSS are published in the book “Russia in Europe” (eds. A.V. Andreenkova, L.A. Belyaeva), Academia, 2009.

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Results of the survey was highlighted in many articles in Russian press:

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Results of the survey on rotating modules are described in several topline brochures produced by leading European experts in relevant fields and can be found in English or in Russian:

Bibliography of academic publications based on RSS data is located on the website www.russiansocialsurvey.ru.