VYTAUTAS MAGNUS UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND DIMPLOMACY POLITICAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT Abduzokirkhuja Ozodkhujayev MODERN FORMS OF POLITICAL PROTEST IN RUSSIA (MODERNIOSIOS PROTESTO FORMOS RUSIJOJE) Bachelor final thesis World politics and economy, state code 612L20009 Political science studies Supervisor _____ Dr. Gintare Zukaite_______________ Defended _____Prof. dr. Sarunas Liekis_________________ Kaunas, 2020 CONTENTS Contents ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................................................. 3 SANTRAUKA .......................................................................................................................................... 5 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................... 7 I. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK OF PROTEST ............................................................................... 10 1.1 Concept of Protest ........................................................................................................................ 10 1.2 Theories of protest ....................................................................................................................... 14 1.3 Traditional forms of protest ......................................................................................................... 17 1.4 Reasons for protest ....................................................................................................................... 19 II. MODERN FORMS OF POLITICAL PROTEST .............................................................................. 22 2.1 Evolution of the modern forms of political protest ...................................................................... 22 2.2 The role of media in protest ......................................................................................................... 26 2.3 Terrorism as a political action ..................................................................................................... 30 III. POLITICAL PROTESTS IN RUSSIA DURING 2019 .................................................................... 34 3.1 Political activity of citizens .......................................................................................................... 34 3.2 Opponents and Results ................................................................................................................. 39 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................... 43 LIST OF LITERATURE AND SOURCES: ........................................................................................... 44 2 Abduzokirkhuja Ozodkhujayev. MODERN FORMS OF POLITICAL PROTEST IN RUSSIA: World politics and Economy. Final thesis / Supervisor Prof. dr. Gintare Zukaite / Vytautas Magnus University, Faculty of Political sciences and diplomacy, Political sciences department. – Kaunas, 2020. 36 P. ABSTRACT In modern social science there is no unambiguous interpretation of the concept of political protest. Different researchers, based on their own scientific tasks, include various political actions and forms of political participation of citizens in this concept. A fairly common point of view is the definition of political protest as one of the forms of political participation of citizens. As political protest is one of the main factors indicating state’s life evaluation, it makes the topic relevant. Nowadays Russia is facing problems with political activity of people due to Putin’s policy based on authoritarian system which causes a problem. The object is importance of political protest and Its use in Russia for 2019 year. The research identifies political protest phenomenon as a key element of the modern political system same as social life in Russia’s example. Problem. Political protest is a key element of society in the 21st century. Its behavior can change lives in the country. Like any other element of the political system, its tactics and forms are up datable. Which causes huge difficulties in dealing with protests. Its importance in evaluating of country’s life is very high. Especially, Russia faced political protest participants’ increase and its modern forms. Object. Role of political movement and Political protests in Russia for 2019 year. Goal. To analyze the role of the use of modern political protest forms in Russia. Tasks: 1. To determine the theories and the basic concepts of political protest and its forms. 2. To study the importance of modern forms of political protest and practice of protest. 3. Identify political protests in Russia for 2019 year and the government’s reaction. Methodology. The paper will be done by using quantitative research methods. Comparison, descriptive methods are going to be used. Quantitative research method is used to present articles about the topic. The comparison method is used to bring out the differences between traditional and modern forms of political protest as well as Western and Russian experience. The descriptive method will describe the problems identified and possible solutions. 3 The research uses different sources such as books, articles, etc. The main book used for the theoretical approach is G. Robertson (2011). The Politics of Protest in Hybrid Regimes: Managing Dissent in Post-Communist Russia. For better understanding of the situation in Russia taken the articles and polls provided by Levada Analytical center. Structure. The bachelor thesis will include the introduction, three chapters, and the conclusion. The first chapter will introduce the research, concepts of Political protest. The second chapter will study the relevance of modern political protest forms. The third chapter will identify the modern forms of political protest in Russia for 2019 year and state’s reaction to the opposition movements. Conclusion will cover the outcome of the research done. In conclusion, it is difficult to describe political protest in one theory because it consists of many different aspects and appears in different views such as violent (Terrorism), individual, mass protests. As world is changing protests are also following up, modern forms of protests appeared like hacktivism, flash mob, art activism, etc. Russia has problems with dealing people’s discontent and political protests caused Putin’s policy and corruption in the country. Mass media and new Technologies, different oppositions make it even harder to deal with, especially for the stare with centralized system. Key words: Activism, collective behavior / action, discontent, political protest, propaganda. 4 Abduzokirkhuja Ozodkhujayev. MODERNIOSIOS PROTESTO FORMOS RUSIJOJE: Pasaulio politika ir ekononika. Baigiamasis darbas / Vadovė Prof. dr. Gintare Zukaite / Vytauto Didžiojo Universitetas, Politikos mokslų ir diplomatijos fakultetas, Politologijos katedra. – Kaunas, 2020. 36 P. SANTRAUKA Moderniosios sociologijos moksle nėra vienareikšmiškos politinio protesto koncepto interpretacijos. Skirtingi mokslininkai, remdamiesi savo specifinėmis užduotimis, į šį kontekstą įtraukia įvairias politines veiklas ir politinio piliečių dalyvavimo formas. Gana dažnu požiūriu politinio protesto apibrėžimas suprantamas kaip viena iš piliečių politinių veiklų. Kadangi politinis protestas yra vienas iš pagrindinių faktorių, indikuojančių valstybės gyvenimo įvertinimą, tai nulemia šios temos aktualumą. Šiandien Rusija susiduria su žmonių politinio aktyvumo problemomis dėl Putino autoritarizmu grįstos politikos, kuri ir sukelia problemą. Darbo objektas – politinio protesto svarba ir praktika Rusijoje 2019 metais. Tyrimas identifikuoja politinio protesto fenomeną kaip raktinį modernios politinės sistemos elementą, taip pat kaip ir socialinio gyvenimo Rusijoje pavyzdį. Problema. Politinis protestas yra raktinis 21-ojo amžiaus visuomenės elementas. Jo eiga gali keisti gyvenimus šalyje. Kaip bet kuris kitas politinės sistemos elementas, jo taktikos ir formos nuolat kinta. Tai nulemia sunkumus protestų sprendime. Politinio protesto svarba, vertinant šalies gyvenimą yra labia svarbi. Ypatingai, Rusijos patirtų politinių protestų dalyvių skaičius auga ir formos modernėja. Objektas. Politinio judėjimo ir Politinių protestų Rusijoje 2019-aisiais metais vaidmuo. Tikslas. Išanalizuoti modernaus politinio protesto formų Rusijoje vaidmenį Uždaviniai: 1. Apibrėžti politinio protesto ir jo formų teorijas ir pagrindinius koncepcijas. 2. Išanalizuoti modernių politinio protesto formų svarbą ir veikimą praktiniame lygmenje. 3. Identifikuoti politinius protestus ir valdžios reakciją Rusijoje 2019-aisiais metais. Metodologija. Baigiamasis darbas atliktas remiantis kokybiniais tyrimo metodais. Palyginimui naudojami aprašomieji metodai. Kokybinis tyrimas naudojamas pristatyti su tema susijusius straipsnius. Lyginamasis metodas naudojamas išskirti skirtumus tarp tradicinių ir modernių protesto formų taip pat kaip Vakarų ir Rusijos patirties. Aprašomasis metodas apibrėžia identifikuotas problemas ir galimus sprendimus. 5 Tyrime naudoti skirtingi šaltiniai, tokie kaip knygos, straipsniai ir t.t. Pagrindinė knyga teorinei prieigai - G. Robertson (2011), The Politics of Protest in Hybrid Regimes: Managing Dissent in Post- Communist Russia. Geresniam situacijos Rusijoje supratimui naudoti Levados Analitinio centro straipsniai ir apklausos. Struktūra. Baigiamasis darbas susideda iš įvado, trijų skyrių ir