Civil activism as a resource for political administration of media space: Russian and international experience

Abstract

Currently, control over the political process is exercised not only on the physical level: a significant role in political transformations is also played by media space. Alongside the traditional forms, such as television, radio and periodicals, the Internet grows in popularity, being a platform for communication between most active social actors concerned with the problems of political, cultural and other social spheres. The virtual environment that opens doors for the promotion of civil initiatives. It is noteworthy that civil activity can have a destabilizing effect on the media space, when the population uses online platforms not as a resource of “soft power”, but as the means of influencing the government. The citizens’ pursuit of sociopolitical changes manifests not only in the forms of protest: media space affords opportunities for participation in various online platforms, forums, etc. for the citizens with active political position. At the same time, the virtual means of participation in such projects as a resource of political administration have certain limitations and are controlled by the government. Leaning on the comparative analysis, the author analyzes the theory of the question, as well as Russian and international practical experience pertaining to implementation of civil activism as a resource for political administration of media space. The conclusion is made on the level effectiveness of implementation of civil activism in media environment, its capabilities and limitations.