Features of the Russian volunteer movement

Abstract

The article considers features of the Russian volunteer movement based on the qualitative criteria, including historical retrospection, and the method of unstructured interview. The authors describe the key characteristics of three models of the Russian volunteering - pre-revolutionary, Soviet and contemporary - and conclude that volunteering in Russia has always been perceived by the public opinion as a kind of cooperative project uniting citizens. The article provides an overview of the legislative framework of the contemporary Russian volunteer movement and of its most popular areas which are mainly associated with ensuring human security. The authors identify and systematize the problems of the Russian volunteer movement and name among the most pressing ones the relationship of volunteer organizations with the state, which can lead to a spiral of silence in the Russian society and hinder the cognitive and emotional involvement of people in the volunteer movement. The article also mentions the influence of the special military operation on the civil activity of the Russian population. The preliminary research results show the emerging shift in the society’s attitude to volunteering, which is manifested in a certain loss of interest in supporting civil initiatives due to paying more attention to one’s family and close social circle. The authors argue that the specifics of the Russian volunteer movement is determined by its non-political nature ‘from below’ and focus on the goals of ensuring human security. Thus, not only the state influences the individual, which is typical for the Russian society and history, but also the individual through volunteering influences the state that cannot ignore the powerful social request for justice.