Institutional transformations of civil society in Russia during the special military operation

The relevance of this study is due to the existential challenge faced by Russian society in connection with the events accompanying the Special military operation. Large-scale military actions and unprecedented sanctions pressure, coupled with aggressive anti-Russian propaganda, have become a real test of the civic qualities of both each Russian individually and society. The current military-political situation could not but affect the course of the transformation of civil society institutions caused by the collapse of the Soviet system and prolonged to the present. The purpose of this study was to assess the level and vector of this influence, prospects and risks. Based on the data of scientific literature, sociological surveys and media content, adopting the conceptual provisions of neo-institutionalism and structuralist constructivism as a theoretical and methodological basis, the authors analyzed changes in social practices in the field of civil society manifestation. The results of the study showed that in the process of transformation of civil society institutions, several positive trends were clearly identified, associated with the growth of open interpersonal trust, readiness for dialogue with government authorities and consolidation. However, there are also several destructive trends that need to be kept under control.

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