Urban Activism: Management Practices of Authorities as Resources and Barriers for Urban Development Projects

Occupation: Senior researcher
Affiliation: Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration
Address: Russian Federation, Moscow

Maria A. Chernova

Occupation: Sociological studies coordinator
Affiliation: Moscow centre of applied urbanism
Address: Russian Federation, Moscow

Journal name

Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya

Edition

Issue 9

Pages

93-101

Abstract

The article reflects the results of research by Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration “Urban projects’ adaptive strategies to changes in legislation and management practices”.The article is devoted to activism focused on urban realm improvement and its specifics in modern Russia. New terminology is proposed for description of bottom-up constructive activism, its major features are summarized, typology is proposed for activities related to urban realm improvement. The article presents results of the research conducted in two cities: Moscow (capital of Russia) and Tomsk (one of major cities in Siberia). The research is focused on management practices of city authorities affecting activists within their projects. Such practices may become resources as well as barriers for citizens on the way to urban space improvement. The research is conducted though in-depth semi-structured interviews with leaders and initiators of urban projects. Theoretic basis for the research are links to major paradigms of sociology of civil society movements. Such terms as internal and external resources and characteristics of political opportunities are used. Examples of “resource-type” and “barrier-type” management practices are described (according to activists). Specifics of Moscow and Tomsk are highlighted. Major types of contexts for cooperation between bottom-up urban activists and city authorities are suggested: openness, neutrality, dysfunction, closeness (antagonism). Research results can be used for further scientific studies, as well as be practically helpful for urban activists.

Keywords

urban activism, resources, barriers, urban projects, social movements, management practices

Received

27.10.2018

Publication date

09.11.2018

Cite Download pdf To download PDF you should sign in

GOST	Koroleva M., Chernova M. Urban Activism: Management Practices of Authorities as Resources and Barriers for Urban Development Projects // Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya – 2018. – Issue 9 C. 93-101 [Electronic resource]. URL: http://ras.jes.su/socis/s013216250001963-2-1-en (circulation date: 14.10.2024). DOI: 10.31857/S013216250001963-2
MLA	Koroleva, Maria N., Chernova, Maria A. "Urban Activism: Management Practices of Authorities as Resources and Barriers for Urban Development Projects." Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya 9 (2018):93-101. DOI: 10.31857/S013216250001963-2
APA	Koroleva M., Chernova M. (2018). Urban Activism: Management Practices of Authorities as Resources and Barriers for Urban Development Projects. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya (9), pp.93-101 DOI: 10.31857/S013216250001963-2

Price publication: 0

Number of purchasers: 0, views: 2371

Readers community rating: votes 0

1. Clement K. (ed.) (2010). From Ordinary People to Activists: Arising Social Movements in Contemporary Russia. Moscow: Tri kvadrata. (In Russ.)
2. Clement K. (2015). Unlikely mobilisations: how ordinary Russian people become involved in collective action. European Journal of Cultural and Political Sociology. Vol. 2. Iss. 3–4: 211–240.
3. Clement K. (ed.) (2013). Urban Grassrouts Movements in Russia in 2009–2012: on the Way to the Political . Moscow: Novoye literaturnoye obozreniye. (In Russ.)
4. Demakova K. (eds.) (2014). The Russian Non-political Activism. Report Based on the Results of the Study. GRANI Centre. Perm: PC «Aster». URL: http://grany-center.org/sites/default/files/files/page/otchet_aktivizm.pdf  (accessed 21.10.2017) (In Russ.)
5. Erpylyova S. V., Magun A. V. (eds.) (2014) Politics of Apolitical: Civil Movements in Russia 2011–2013. Moscow: Novoye Literaturnoye obozreniye. (In Russ.)
6. Gontmakher E., Shatalova E. (2008) Public Unions of a New Type: Making of the Data Base, Analysis and Perspective. Scientific report. URL: http://spero.socpol.ru/docs/N9_2008_09.pdf  (accessed 21.10.2017). (In Russ.)
7. Harvey D. (2008) The Right to the City. New Left Review 53: 23–40.
8. Jacobs J. (2011). The Death and Life of Great American Cities. Moscow: Novoye Izdatelstvo. (In Russ.)
9. Lefebvre H. (1991). The production of space. Blackwell, Oxford.
10. Lefebvre H. (1996). Writings on cities. Blackwell, Cambridge, MA.
11. Maenpaa P., Faehnle M. (2017) Civic activism as a resource for cities. Kvartti, Quarterly 1/2017. URL: http://www.kvartti.fi/en/articles/civic-activism-resource-cities  (accessed 21.10.2017).
12. McAdam D. (1996) Conceptual Origins, Current Problems, Future Directions in Comparative Perspectives on Social Movements in Political Opportunities, Mobilizing Structures, and Cultural Framings. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
13. McCarthy J., Zald M. (1977) Resource mobilization and social movements: a partial theory. American Journal of Sociology. Vol. 82: 1212–1241.
14. Moskalyova S. M., Tykanova E. V. (2016) Social Conditions of the Performance of Civic and Expert Groups Aimed at the Improvement of the Quality of Urban Environment. Zhurnal sociologii i socialnoy antropologii. [Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology]. Vol. XIX. No. 4 (87): 103–120 (In Russ.)
15. Pavlova T. V. (2008) Social Movements as a Factor Transforming Institutional Environment: Theoretical Issues. Polis. Politicheskiye issledovaniya [Polis. Political Studies]. No. 5: 113–124. (In Russ.)
16. Perspectives of NGOs as Providers of Social Benefits (2013). Analytic report. Moscow: ZIRCON research group. URL: http://www.zircon.ru/upload/iblock/d5d/Perspektivy_NKO_v_kachestve_postavshhikov_obshhestvennoj_polzy.pdf  (accessed 21.10.2017). (In Russ.)
17. Purcell M. (2002) Excavating Lefebvre: The right to the city and its urban politics of the inhabitant. GeoJournal. No. 58: 99–108.
18. Sedova N. N. (2014) Civic Activism in modern Russia: forms, factors, and social base. Sociologicheskiy zhurnal [Sociological Journal]. No. 2: 48–71. (In Russ.)
19. Smelser N. (2008). Collective Behavior and Social Movements In: Smelser N. Sociology. Moscow: Fenix. (In Russ.)
20. Тarrow S. (1989) Struggle, politics	and	reform: collective action,	social movements and cycles	of protest. Cornell University Western Sociology. Vol. 21. 
21. Zdravomyslova E. A. (2013) Paradigms of Western Sociology of the Public Movements. Saint Petersburg: Nauka. (In Russ.)
22. Zhelnina A. (2015) Reinterpreting the Public Space: Creativity in the City. Zhurnal sociologii i socialnoy antropologii. [Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology]. 2015 Vol. XVIII. No 2(78): 45–59. (In Russ.)
23. Zuravlev O. (2017). Vad blev kvar av Bolornajatorget? En ny start for den lokala aktivismen i Ryssland. Arkiv. Tidskrift for samhallsanalys. No. 7: 129–164. (In Swed.)