Political Discourse about Orphancy during the Soviet and Post soviet period: social integration or social exclusion?

Abstract

In this article the political discourse about orphancy during the period from the 1920s up to now is analyzed. The author outlines such types of discourse which lead to social exclusion of children-orphans and those which contribute to their social integration. A discourse of social disaster which considers the orphans as a threat for the stability of the society turned to be very steady though the period in focus of the study. The discourses of social profit, social unity, and social partnership have been contributing to the integration of the children-orphans into the society. The author comes to the conclusion that the most effective for modern Russia would be a discourse of social partnership, which promotes the development of civil society as a means of solving the issue of the orphancy as an acute social problem.