The author explores a biographical method as one of the most effective ways of understanding social reality. The contribution of biographical researches to the study of views, behavioral strategies and life trajectories of the Russian youth are analyzed. When studying a life history, the main method of obtaining information is a biographical interview. As an example, we consider the experience in studying individual biographies of representatives of the post-Soviet youth (born in the early 90s) using this method. The author focuses on the factors that influence the young people's choices of today’s or traditional behavioral strategies. The leading social determinants in this process are the surrounding community, social institutions, living conditions as well as political events taking place in the country. It is emphasized that the social environment of the study participants has a significant impact on their values and views. «Modernists» and «traditionalists » are notable for their adaptive flexibility: they are ready to construct the routes of their life paths taking into account changing social circumstances. It is shown that, despite the obvious difference in values, behavioral attitudes and life experience of «modernists» and «traditionalists», there is something common that helps them mature. First of all, it’s the recent political events in Russia that they witnessed. The post-Soviet young people are more likely to be «children» of the 2000s than of the 1990s. Both the «modernists» and «traditionalists» adhere to similar attitudes towards the Crimean issue and the accession of Crimea and Sevastopol to the Russian Federation.
biographical researches; biographical method; the Russian youth; life trajectories.