Declining birth rates have raised concerns in Russia since the 1990s, casting doubts on the post-Soviet government's ability to care for its people. Despite its well-publicized pronatalist initiativesRussia's population crisis has created enduring perceptions of the state as a benevolent but inconstant source of family aid.

In this volume, author Inna Leykin argues that the production, distribution, and translation of demographic knowledge have shaped social imaginaries about normative families, national sovereignty, and the self. With new ideas influencing public thoughts and ideals, the development of scientific knowledge and popular views of the state and its responsibilities have affected the balance between the state's commitment to economic stability and its goal of maintaining an apolitical citizenship, particularly in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Caring Like a State: The Politics of Russia's Demographic Crisis analyzes demographic data, policy history, personal interviews, and official government messaging to explore how daily family life and the Russian government's policies reciprocally shape social realities.