Galina Selivanova1; 1 FIW, University of Bonn, Germany
Discussion
This paper investigates motivations to take part in election monitoring in Russia. This movement was sparked by anti-election fraud protests in 2011-2012. Since then, independent election monitoring groups have become a target for systematic state oppression. Furthermore, blatant electoral fraud is often used to communicate the strength of autocratic regime (Simpser 2013). Under these conditions, monitoring becomes a somewhat pointless effort; nevertheless, vibrant monitoring communities continue to exist in many Russian cities. This study investigates the motivations that drive participation in election monitoring in the context of electoral autocracy. The study draws on the theoretical approach developed by social movement studies that suggests that movement participation can be determined by instrumental factors, shared identity or ideology (Klandermans 2004). On the microlevel, activism is related to such factors as grievances, efficacy, identity, emotions and the social embeddedness of individuals in protesting groups (Van Stekelenburg et al 2018). This study investigates whether similar motivations drive participation within non-contentious activism in autocracies. Empirical part of the study is based on a representative survey of election monitoring activists conducted in Saint Petersburg. The study concludes that election monitoring became one of the remaining legal opportunities to demonstrate discontent with the political situation in Russia.
