Self-Representation of Russian Political and Civil Society Organisations

Long-term self-financed research project of the Department of Politics & Economics
 
The guiding theme of the Research Centre for East European Studies “Between Dissent and Consensus” refers prominently to public discourses, in which consensus is defined and dissent is voiced. In this research project the positioning between consensus and dissent, between power and opposition will be analysed for Russian politically engaged collective actors (political parties, political movements and civil society organisations) since the end of the Soviet Union.

The focus is on the self-representation of the respective organisations and the underlying discursive strategies. In this context an analytical instrumental understanding of discourses is applied, which sees discourses as medium and indicator for power in political debates. The analysis thus focuses on the central actors and their discursive strategies in the (still continuing) renegotiation of political order in combination with their representation in (and restriction of access to) mass media.

The basis for empirical research in this project is a comprehensive collection of self-published materials of the organisations included in the analysis (see https://www.forschungsstelle.uni-bremen.de/en/9/20170315114025/Documenting_PartiesNGOs.html) The collection comprises print publications (like brochures, membership promotion materials or campaign materials) as well as online-presentations (including websites). The collection is complemented by analyses of media reporting about the organisations covered in the project.
 
Since Russia's large-scale war of agression against Ukraine the project includes cooperation with the Russian human rights organisation Memorial in exile, which received the Noble Price for Peace in 2022.

Project-related publications and data collections

Schröder, Hans-Henning / Pleines, Heiko (2024): Journalistic, expert and business reporting about Russia 1994-2019 – Full text archive of nearly 100 sources, v. 1.0, Discuss Data, https://doi.org/10.48320/1A2C1127-ADC2-48E4-8993-6300E61ED116

Arkhipova, Alexandra / Lapshin, Yuri (2023): "No Wobble" – Anonymous Anti-War Street Art In Russia, 2022-2023, v. 1.0, Discuss Data, https://doi.org/10.48320/52EC1EE6-6D35-4498-9218-483FEF019E4A

Rumiantseva, Aleksandra / Otlan, Yana (2023): Dataset of Russian Telegram Channels with Political Agenda – (2017-2023), v. 1.0, Discuss Data, https://doi.org/10.48320/C83A0C4F-1433-4DA9-8FA5-E06537989A1E

Pleines, Heiko (2023): Levada Polls on the Discuss Data Online Platform: Accessing and Discussing Russian Surveys of Public Opinion, in: Russian Analytical Digest 292, 9-11 (open access).

Pleines, Heiko (2022): The planned war, in: Russian Analytical Digest 283, 4-7 (open access)

Schattenberg, Susanne (2022): Bremen als Ort der Andersdenkenden, Russland-Analysen 427, 4-5 (open access) Pleines, Heiko (2020): Media Control as Source of Political Power: Differentiating Reach and Impact, in: Russian Analytical Digest 258, 2-7 (open access)

Nozima Akhrarkhodjaeva (2017): The Instrumentalisation of Mass Media in Electoral Authoritarian Regimes: Evidence from Russia's Presidential Election Campaigns of 2000 and 2008, Ibidem-Verlag / Columbia University Press