Digital Activism in Russia: The Communication Tactics of Political Outsiders

“This is a timely book, when authoritarian regimes are tightening the noose around opposing forces and critical media. The Internet, if heavily stifled, remains the environment where critics can make their voice heard. The study casts light on the amazing “digital resistance” of Alexey Navalny, a world-known Russian anti-establishment political outsider. The author’s scholarly analysis of the dissident’s “communication project” provides also valuable insights on the chances of a democratization of the Russian public sphere.”
—Gianpietro Mazzoleni, professor at the University of Milan, Italy

“Sofya Glazunova has written an excellent study of the digital strategies used by Alexey Navalny in his role as an opposition politician in Russia. By placing his digital activism within the context of the Russian media scene, this book constitutes an innovative study of oppositional politics in an authoritarian regime. Anyone who wants to understand the Navalny phenomenon in contemporary Russia or the digital prospects for opposition in an authoritarian regime should read this book.”

—Graeme Gill, Professor Emeritus, University of Sydney, Australia

This book provides an in-depth investigation of Russian online anti-establishment resistances in 2016–2019. Grounded in qualitative content analysis of the YouTube videos and social media data of opposition activist Alexey Navalny and his associates, the research covers the history of these communications, their tactics, and the impact on the Russian public sphere and peripheral electorates. Drawing from populism, journalism and digital media studies, Glazunova skilfully shows Russia’s digital public sphere to be a multi-faceted site with its own struggles, challenges, and unique communication strategies for political survival. An important and original work, Digital Activism in Russia reflects on the past, present, and future of such resistances in Russia, the central role played by digital media, and its relevance for the political activists struggling for democracy around the world.

Dr Sofya Glazunova is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Digital Media Research Centre, in the Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. Her research focuses on political communication, digital resistance, authoritarianism, Russian media, ‘fake news’, and propaganda. In her postdoctoral research, Dr Glazunova uses a mixed-method approach to unveil digital propaganda strategies, assesses their implications for the digital publics, and elaborates a series of recommendations to combat disinformation in the Russian, Australian, and global context.