Exploring people’s motives for participating in the post 2011-election protest in Arkhangelsk, Russia

Abstract

The thesis examines the motives of people in Arkhangelsk (Russia) to take part in the 10 December 2011 protest which emerged after the Duma elections. The objective of the research is to find out what motivated people in Arkhangelsk to take part in the protest (i.e. what kind of drivers triggered them to participate). The study draws on theory of spatial analyses of protest under the Russia’s hybrid regime, which emphasizes local socioeconomic and political conditions as influential factors in formation of nature of protest. The results of the qualitative research indicate that protestors in Arkhangelsk were not only concerned with possible falsifications of Duma election results when they engaged into the protest. Due to specific local environments, protesters might also put forward demands based on discontent with socioeconomic and political situation in Arkhangelsk. The findings suggest that protest in Arkhangelsk was not purely political but combined traits of social and economic protest as well.