State-sponsored civic associations in Russia: systemic integration or the ‘war of position’?

Abstract

Which theoretical paradigm should we use to discuss the relationship between the state and civil society in Russia? Academic literature distinguishes two principal approaches to this problem: the East European political tradition, which treats the state and civil society in antagonistic terms; and the West European and Anglo-American strand, which focuses on co-operation between the two entities. A nuanced study of modern Russia indicates that there are areas of successful state–civil society co-operation, as well as intense struggles between the two entities for political and cultural hegemony. Thus, both of these approaches are reasonable, and one should not be deployed at the expense of the other.