Civil Initiatives Research Articles

Practices of Grassroots Civic Activity in the Yaroslavl Region: Problems and Results of Implementation

Introduction. The relevance of the study is due to the increasing importance and complexity of horizontal public relations in socio-political processes, an increase in the number of practices of grassroots civic activity at the regional and local levels, including the use of new information and communication technologies. The purpose of the article is to identify the causes of initiation, the specifics of the organization and practical implementation of grassroots civic activity, as well as the specifics of the interaction of its key actors in modern socio-political conditions in the Yaroslavl region. Materials and Methods. The empirical basis of the study is 21 practices of grassroots civic engagement in the Yaroslavl region, the analysis of which was carried out by the case-study method with elements of comparative analysis. The case-study method made it possible to study these practices of grassroots civic engagement in their complexity and integrity, and also identified their key characteristics and factors influencing them. Results. A comparison of the main practices of grassroots civic engagement that have taken place in the Yaroslavl region in recent years has been made. The main mechanisms and subjects of grassroots civic engagement, processes of interaction between actors are identified. The role of information and communication technologies in the organization of grassroots civic engagement was determined. The problems of grassroots civic engagement organization and interaction of its key actors were also outlined. Discussion and Сonclusion. The study revealed the key characteristics of grassroots civic activity: significant actors, theirs goals, motives, resources and methods of action, features of media coverage and the use of information and communication technologies. The results of the study will be useful for improving the efficiency of the work of local authorities with various formal and informal organizations and associations of citizens. They will help to build work with these groups, taking into account the identified features in the implementation of practices of grassroots civil initiatives in the Yaroslavl region.

Captured green aims: The case of Hungary

The article aims to shed light on the environmental risks of the Hungarian autocratic economic policy coupled with increased state interventionism and the revival of industrial policies. Green economic strategies proliferate in democratic countries, but we know less about contemporary hybrid regimes. In the case of Hungary, we show that the pillars of green industrial policy do not exist in practice. There is however a façade and rhetoric of green aims which serve only as one tool among others to rent-seeking and keep the ruling power. By several illustrative cases, we describe the mechanisms of hollowing out, capturing environmental institutions, instrumentalising green aims and repressing civil initiatives as systemic characteristics for illiberal hybrid regimes.

MODERN MECHANISMS OF NON-STATE ACTORSIN THE SOCIAL PROTECTION SYSTEM PARTICIPATION

The article is devoted to the current topic of development of the social protection system. Statistics show that the number of citizens demanding support from the state is growing: society is aging, there is an increase in the number of people with disabilities, and the number of inpatient social service organizations is growing. The total number of disabled people is more than 11 million people, the number of lonely elderly people is more than 7 million people, which requires the development of modern mechanisms for social protection of the population. The theoretical analysis made it possible to highlight the features of understanding and propose an expanded description of the category “social protection” from the perspective of the individual and the state, including social security, guarantees, assistance, support¸ compensation, insurance, generally characterized by the consumption of all types of social services within the framework of the state social policy . The proposed theoretical three-level model of providing social protection takes into account factorial and dynamic elements and can be the basis for building an effective social security system with the involvement of socially oriented non-profit organizations. The analysis of statistical data revealed an increase in the number of volunteers in the implementation of civil initiatives of socially oriented non-profit organizations, which requires systematic development and implementation in state social support programs to increase the efficiency of social protection processes. A study of the target audience's awareness of the work of socially oriented non-profit organizations confirmed the need to popularize ongoing social projects to expand the scope of social services. The proposed generalized model of the mechanism of social interaction when including the resources of socially oriented non-profit organizations based on forecasting social processes will make it possible to effectively manage the formation of social support programs for the population to increase the efficiency of social protection processes.

Концепція організації комплексного управління громадськими формуваннями у сфері освіти і науки в україні

In the post-war period, the revitalization of the national economy in general, as well as in sectoral and regional terms, becomes a priority. The efforts of state authorities, local self-government bodies, politicians, and the scientific and educational public should be involved in this process. For this purpose, the author’s team classified the most important areas of public activity in education, science, and management of these associations, including public academic formations, scientific schools operating at higher educational institutions of Ukraine, trade unions, educational and scientific associations, etc. The development trends of these public associations at the current stage have been determined. The article examines the role and place of educational and scientific public associations in the system of state administration in retrospect and in perspective in the post-war period. Their functional characteristics are given. Based on the generalization of the experience of their functioning, the analysis of scientific interpretations in this field, the expediency of the organization of management of these educational and scientific structures is substantiated, the author’s definition of complex management of the means of the united coordinating body (Association, Assembly, Council, etc.) is formulated. The concept of organizing complex management of public formations in the field of education and science in Ukraine in the post-war period is proposed. A well-founded scheme and organizational mechanism for reviving the scientific and educational industry are proposed. The proposed approach makes it possible to assess the system’s economic efficiency by applying unique economic-mathematical and expert research methods. Undoubtedly, integrating these approaches and tools can lead to positive results. The study of the peculiarities of the implementation of civil initiatives in modern Ukraine shows the growth in the number of such initiatives, which is a sign of the strengthening of the organizational capital of civil society both in modern and post-war Ukraine. Keywords: concept, education, science, integrated management, scientific school, public academic formations, public scientific association, university, society, public initiative, legislative initiative, state structure.

Cancer care during a time of crisis: Israel’s experience during wartime.

e23030 Background: During the last decades, there have been many crises in the world, including COVID-19, the Ukraine-Russia war and major tsunamis and earthquakes. These situations create challenges for providing appropriate care for cancer patients. It remains an important research priority to understand how to improve care delivery for cancer patients under conditions of stress or emergency. Methods: Israel has one of the highest-quality healthcare systems in the world. Strengths of the health system include advanced technology, universal health insurance, and four strong health maintenance organizations. Israel’s health system recently performed relatively well during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we report on system efforts to continue providing care despite the massive terrorist attack by Hamas of October 7, 2023, the ongoing rocket fire, and the mobilization of young and middle-aged adults to the army, which led to staff shortages. Our report focuses in particular on efforts to maintain continuity and quality of care for cancer patients. Results: There have been three main pillars of Israel’s efforts to maintain care for cancer patients despite the challenges. 1) We activated strategies learned from previous events, including the COVID-19 pandemic and other wars. This enabled continuing treatment of cancer patients, including those who had been evacuated from border-adjacent areas, in oncology departments that are either missile-proof or adjacent to a protected area. 2) The existence of universal health insurance, together with strong health maintenance organizations, enabled us to fill in gaps in social needs and ensure that no patient is “left behind”. This, in turn, allowed patients and their care teams to continue their cancer care without reimbursement barriers or other interruptions, despite the challenges. 3) There was a massive groundswell of volunteerism and lay-led social service initiatives. Almost half (48.6%) of the Israeli population engaged in some volunteer activity during the first two weeks of the war. This included volunteers who provided transportation for patients to and from treatments, donation of medications aimed at helping evacuees from border areas, and volunteer medical staff, such as recent retirees. These civil initiatives played a critical role in providing the initial response to the urgent needs that were left unaddressed by the government. Conclusions: We identified three main pillars that enabled continuity and high quality of care for cancer patients to continue despite a major crisis. A rapid response due to having similar, previous experiences and ready plans. A high-performance and resilient health delivery system, and lay volunteerism in times of crisis. While Israel’s challenges in the present period are unique, nevertheless lessons can be learned by health systems that wish to become more resilient and able to provide adequate care in times of crisis.

A telepítési sűrűség és a lombkorona-borítottság vizsgálata budapesti szabadtereken

Trees in public open spaces are an important part of the urban green space system, which has to adapt to increasingly difficult conditions due to urbanisation, climate change and human activity. Green spaces are a major factor in improving the microclimate, helping to protect biodiversity and playing an important aesthetic role, so they need to be preserved and enhanced. In our country, since the 2000s, a large number of studies and civil initiatives have highlighted the importance of green spaces, but typically from a quantitative approach. However, improving the quality of planting is an equally important task. Our research assesses the canopy cover of trees in open spaces in Budapest in terms of planting density, with a focus on the planting distance of trees in certain squares and streets and the resulting cover values. In our studies, we have considered the quantitative and qualitative variation in crown canopy cover at the time of planting and in maturity, so we can formulate ideal planting suggestions based on the environment, requirements and characteristics (crown shape, growth vigour) of each taxa. In the series of case studies, we first studied the woody species of one of the most important intermodal nodes of Budapest, Móricz Zsigmond Square and Bartók Béla Street. The canopy cover of the square reaches the ideally defined minimum canopy cover of 25-30% in 5-7 years. Considering canopy cover and planting density, it was found that in 2023 the canopy cover of the trees in the Móricz Zsigmond square averages 13%, while at maturity it will cover more than 50%. This means that about half of the tree crowns will be able to have the highest potential impact in terms of ecosystem services.

The role and importance of civil initiatives in local governance

Local governance is closely related to democracy and provides a central position to the participation of citizens in decision-making, where the perspectives of different authors such as political scientist Robert Dahl emphasized that democracy must offer equal and proper opportunities for citizens’ participation in decision-making (Forrester & Sunar, 2011). The purpose of this paper is to create a fair overview of the real condition of citizens’ involvement in local government decision-making processes, by highlighting the necessity to adapt local government to the real needs of citizens, which facilitates their lives within the municipalities. The review of literature and development of qualitative research was the methodology applied within this study. During the development of this study, surveys were also conducted with citizens and other institutional stakeholders with a key role in local governance. The findings of this paper indicated that municipal bodies have made minimal efforts to inform citizens about their opportunities and raise awareness regarding the importance of activism in decision-making, as substantiated by the questionnaire outcomes. On this occasion, it was also observed that there is a low level of citizens’ inclination to participate in public gatherings aimed at influencing municipal governance activities.

Mapping Urban Injustices in Public Space: Challenges and Opportunities

Over the past few decades, cities around the world radically and rapidly changed as regards scale, scope and complexity. This is mainly due to the increasing mobility of people, goods and information as a result of technological developments, liberalization of economic systems, economic fluctuations, wars, and climate change. These changes challenge the processes of production of built environment and create conflicts and contestations between different urban groups, who have contradicted claims on the decisions and processes influencing urban transformation.Such situation brought the discussions on just/unjust urban transformation processes in urban research, policy and public debates. It raised questions on privileging the interests of affluent urban groups, while disadvantaging vulnerable communities. We see public space as central in these debates, as possible facilitator of a more just process of urban transformation. Public space is able to embrace different political, economic and cultural manifestations of urban groups, which allow them to voice their rights on the city. Public space can also submit encounters and interactions between different urban actors and perform as a place of negotiation between them. Public space is potentially able to promote fair allocations of wealth, resources, benefits and opportunities. Also, public space pedagogy helps us to reframe methods of understanding (un)just urban morphologies in urban research, planning and architectural theory as well as praxis. This special issue will thus focus on the question how urban (in)justices can be mapped, and which challenges and opportunities may arise from different approaches to mapping. Intercontextuality as well as intersectional research which combines an analysis of different forms of injustices (such as racial, social, religious, national, ethnic, etc.) will be discussed, alongside more practical and case-study based mapping experiences.Different views on public space can provide us with ways of thinking to develop planning and design strategies, policy measures, civil initiatives, and social movements to oppose processes of unjust urban transformation. Yet, in the context of a rapid-shifting economic, political and social reality, it is more and more urgent for critical re-thinking of public space as facilitator of urban justice.

СТРАТЕГІЧНЕ УПРАВЛІННЯ ДІЯЛЬНІСТЮ ГРОМАДСЬКОЇ ОРГАНІЗАЦІЇ: ОСНОВНІ ЕЛЕМЕНТИ ТА МЕХАНІЗМИ

The relevance of the topic is determined by the need for democratization of society, which is manifested in civil initiatives, the creation of rural, urban and regional communities that take care of local self-government and become an effective force in making important political decisions. However, in connection with the unstable political and economic situation, in particular total quarantine restrictions and the war, it becomes necessary to implement strategic approaches to managing the activities of public organizations. It is strategic and operational planning in today's conditions that can ensure the stability of the activities of public organizations, and vectoriality for long-term functioning affects the formation of trust in society and local self-government structures. The purpose of the study is to justify the need to use strategic and operational planning in the activities of public organizations. The article indicates the goals and tasks of strategic planning of the activities of public organizations in the Ukrainian social and political conditions. Attention is focused on the fact that strategic planning is a process that takes place constantly, responding to the challenges of today and changes within the organization itself, therefore making adjustments is not only a natural phenomenon, but also necessary. The components of the strategic plan of the public organization were considered. A mechanism for implementing project management by public associations is proposed. The introduction of strategic and operational planning of the activities of public organizations will allow to maximize their efficiency, which in the future will give an opportunity to bring them to a new high-quality level of management.

Cumhuriyetin 100. Yıl Dönümünde Dijital Yönetişim Vizyonu ve Güncel Uygulamaların Katılımcı Yönetim Çerçevesinde Değerlendirilmesi

The Great Turkish Nation fought for many years and struggled for Independence. With Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK's declaration of the Republic, a form of government in which sovereignty rests unconditionally on the Turkish Nation, the nation gained a more democratic and freedom-based regime. Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK emphasized that the Turkish Nation should always be involved in participatory management, both through parliament and civil initiatives, to protect the Republic regime and its future. Since the founding of the Republic, the developments in information and communication technologies have significantly changed public service delivery and government-citizen interaction. To develop participatory management practices, the digital governance vision comes to the fore, in which digital opportunities increase public service delivery and citizen integration. Digital governance is a more democratic and citizen-oriented management approach. It allows citizen-government and private enterprises to act with a common initiative to solve social problems. On the 100th anniversary of the Republic, the concept of digital governance is examined to increase the effectiveness of the regime based on popular will and participatory management. In accordance with this purpose, information, and evaluations about existing e-government and e-municipality applications are shared. The study is expected to increase awareness of the concept of digital governance among policymakers and citizens, thereby contributing to the development of the participatory management approach and public management effectiveness.

Религиозно-духовные и гражданско-деятельностные аспекты программных документов российских мусульман в общественно-политическом контексте

This article provides information on how relevant the role of religious organizations as subjects of civil initiatives, presented as subjects of civil society, and highlights the main and functional features of these organizations. A content analysis of the text from the Moscow Theological Declaration on Jihad, Takfir and Caliphate as a document of the Russian Muslim Ummah is carried out, with an emphasis on the religious spiritual and civil affairs aspects of this document.

Considerations on pollution at European level

Human activity has caused profound changes to the environment, and not infrequently the resulting effects have proven to be irreversible. Man becomes the main responsible and the most dangerous actor on the scene of pollution to the environment. Today, nature is exploited and polluted more than at any time in history. Any source of pollution becomes a disturbing factor for the smooth running of phenomena encountered at the level of natural ecosystems. Even if each ecosystem has the capacity for self-regulation, this function may be outdated in the face of dosage and the force of polluting elements. Contemporary European society feels most strongly the need for anti-pollution policies, but especially for the immediate implementation of measures to stop various phenomena and actions harmful to the environment and human life. Although the problem is real and topical, various economic and social interests reduce the number of participants with an active role in greening. This raises the need to raise broad awareness of environmental issues and encourage civil initiatives, a task that is shared between various environmental non-governmental organisations and the European Union. It currently has a broad set of rules on environmental issues, including: air quality, chemical safety, climate action, nature protection, waste management and water quality. When it comes to climate, nature and chemicals, the EU has been a pioneer in environmental and health protection, inspiring others around the world to follow suit. However, the European Union's achievements are not just a thing of the past, but its attitude towards environmental protection is future-oriented. The preservation, protection and improvement of the quality of the environment, the protection of human health and the prudent and balanced utilisation of natural resources are objectives of the European Union's environmental policy. This policy is based on the precautionary principle, as well as on the principles that preventive action should be taken, that environmental damage should, as a priority, be rectified at source and, last but not least, that the polluter pays.

CSOs working for peace through education in conflict‐affected areas: The case of Cyprus

AbstractThis article discusses the results of a qualitative study examining the ways civil society organisations (CSOs) may better support grass‐roots initiatives for everyday peacebuilding via education in conflict‐affected societies, where official state processes have failed. Our research is set in the Cyprus context, where the conflict between the Greek‐Cypriot and Turkish‐Cypriot communities that has led to the division of the island seems rather ‘intractable’ and ‘frozen’. From the process of the analysis, three thematic categories emerged: (a) cultivating citizen empowerment and civil initiatives; (b) enhancing children's and youth's voices; and (c) launching partnerships with state and societal actors. We discuss our findings under the framework of intercultural education and change. It is argued that for peacebuilding to flourish, CSOs should use education to cultivate social and sympathetic imagination by enabling people from both communities to imagine other, more socially just, but also socio‐economically better, alternatives to the current status quo, through everyday peace and education initiatives.

Features of the Russian volunteer movement

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.

China-Arab Relations: Between Official Diplomacy and Civil Diplomacy

Abstract This paper analyzes the cultural and social dimensions of the concept of civil diplomacy, encompassing various aspects of intellectual, artistic, literary, and creative life. It reflects the dynamism of cultural life on national, ethnic, and humanistic levels. People-to-people diplomacy is a theoretical concept that symbolizes the protection of basic human rights in terms of knowledge, work, housing, freedom of expression, and the right of people to defend themselves and build their communities freely, according to their core interests, without external pressures. It utilizes media channels to promote relations between nations and relies on civil initiatives and non-governmental organizations to generate widespread public opinion that contributes to raising awareness among people in various fields. Civil diplomacy has contributed to enhancing positive cooperation between nations and has helped expand the scope of collaboration among people’s organizations advocating for the fundamental interests of their communities. The paper addresses the origins of diplomatic representation between China and Arab countries, the cultural and social dimensions of China-Arab civil diplomacy, the distinguished experience of the Arab-Chinese Friendship Association from 2006 to 2023, China’s and Arab countries’ efforts to build a more humane globalization, and the future prospects of civil diplomacy in the development of China-Arab relations build a more humane globalization, and the future prospects of civil diplomacy in the development of China-Arab relations.

ПОРІВНЯЛЬНИЙ АНАЛІЗ РОЗВИТКУ ГРОМАДЯНСЬКОГО СУСПІЛЬСТВА В УКРАЇНІ ТА ПОЛЬЩІ

A comparative analysis of the processes of institutionalization of civil society in Ukraine and Poland was carried out. It was revealed that in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the situation with social and political movements in Ukraine and Poland was similar, but soon the situation began to undergo deep and significant distortions. At the same time, the thesis about the consequential nature of the revitalization/weakening of civic activity in connection with uneven economic development or decline of the national economy cannot withstand criticism, because there is a correlation here, and not a clear determination. It was revealed that the significant differences between Ukraine and Poland that have developed over the past 30 years are caused not only by the economic reforms of the 1990s, but also by the dynamics of the activity of the nongovernmental sector, which was often the driving force behind the reformation of post-socialist Poland with further movement and entry into the European Union in 2004. of the Union. Highlighting the main features during the contextualization of both processes in the states allows us to talk about the set of factors and reasons that became the reasons for satisfactory or weakened movement and liveliness of civil initiatives. Based on objective data, it seems possible to recommend certain ways to improve the current state of affairs, or to break mediocre trends. All this together forms a powerful theoretical-methodological complex of practical direction, in which a clear necessity for modern Ukraine can be traced. During the active discussion about Euro integration and Atlantic aspirations, there is a direct need for a road map, which can be drawn up only if there is a base of empirical material, which is partially offered to us by the Republic of Poland.

Mechanisms of knowledge translation in the conditions of modern culture digitalization

This article deals with the problem of digitalization of cultural mechanisms of knowledge translation. The study clarifies the terms digitization and digitalization, considers their comparison, as well as differences from digital technologies. In addition, the positive and negative consequences of these processes on society as a whole are considered. Since a modern person prefers to receive information in a finished form, therefore, digitalization is of great importance. The history of the emergence of digitalization as a separate process is also considered. Now most areas of our lives increase technological involvement, that has led to a large-scale convergence of various areas and processes. The article examines the influence of convergence on the processes of social and political integration at the level of interaction between groups, associations of individuals in the implementation of civil initiatives, as well as at the level of states and peoples. Digitalization processes have significantly changed the world and human interaction.

Пам’ятки археології під час війни: польовий досвід та юридичний аспект (на прикладі робіт МАЕ у м. Києві та Київській області у 2022 р.)

The issue of recording the damage caused to cultural heritage as a result of unprovoked aggression of the Russian Federation is extremely relevant. The process of monitoring the destruction of objects takes place both at the state level and thanks to the activities of civil initiatives. However, at the present stage, the analysis of losses focuses mainly on objects of architecture, monumental art and religious buildings. On the other hand, recording the destruction of archaeological sites, due to certain features, faces significant difficulties. This situation is related to the unrevealed state of the archaeological objects themselves, the detection of which is possible due to significant landscape transformations. Among the main factors that make it difficult to record the loss of archaeological heritage, the following should be mentioned: problems related to the accounting of archeology objects, issues of limited remote and direct access to sites in the de-occupied and front-line territories, immediate risks to life and health when conducting field research. In order to solve problems in the field of documenting damage to the archaeological heritage, representatives of a number of domestic scientific, educational and museum institutions created an interdisciplinary Archaeological Landscapes Monitoring Group, whose task is to record losses at archaeological sites. Currently, the work of the group is carried out in the territories of Kyiv and Chernihiv regions within the framework of the German Archaeological Institute (DAI) project 'Ukrainian Archaeological Heritage, threatened by war: saving and protection'. One of the conclusions obtained during the work of the Group was the understanding of the need for direct field studies of destroyed areas of landscapes, given the limited use of remote methods of studying and the need for production site-protection documentation, which provides for the cultural and chronological attribution of objects. The article provides a brief summary of the Group's work in Kyiv region and analyzes the compliance of monitoring activities with international standards. One of the conclusions of the proposed study is the statement about the need for a long-term state program for compiling the archaeological cadastre of Ukraine. The crisis in the archaeological heritage accounting system and the existing need to record losses in the field of archaeology during the war allows to restart the system of sites registering at a modern level and with the use of international experience. Key words: cultural heritage, archaeological monitoring, recording of damages, war, archaeological landscape, accounting of sites.

Axiosphere of sister cities: Is it possible to transmit cultural memory?

The article is devoted to understanding the institution of sister cities in the context of the developing international crisis, when urban diplomacy, successful practices of interstate civil cooperation, perceived for decades as unshakable and value-oriented, were subjected to “suspension” or “cancellation”. On the other hand, the territorial changes in 2022, the entry of new territories into Russia and the establishment of twinning relations between Russian cities and the cities of Donbass give the institution of sister cities a new meaning and important political and cultural significance. The formation and development of the axiosphere of twin cities is seen as an important factor in the development of interregional cooperation and the “binding” of Russian territories. The interdisciplinary of this study is expressed in addressing not only issues of public policy, social philosophy, cultural studies, ethics, economics, but also in the desire to take into account the specifics of the developing digital society, while the authors consider regional governance issues from the position of an axiological approach. The working with cultural memory today can act as a resource for building an effective cultural policy in the region, but the construction of new meanings and relationships, images and priorities for future development is no less significant. The authors note the importance of civil initiatives and movements, social media, whose activities are aimed at maintaining the social sphere and creating a digital environment of trust, at intensifying urban, civil cooperation in the network as a counterbalance to the aggressive anti-Russian, Russophobic network practices used today.

INTERACTION OF CIVIL ACTIVISTS WITH INSTITUTIONS OF POWER AND LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT IN THE REGIONS OF SOUTHWEST SIBERIA: MECHANISMS AND PROBLEMS

The work deals with the study of the civic activism sphere and issues of interaction between civil society institutions, local self-government and state power in the regions of Southwest Siberia. The study was carried out on the basis of the reports analysis of the Public Chambers of the regions, official resources of institutions supporting civil initiatives, regional media and information agencies, pages of civil associations in social networks. The study also used the results of an expert survey of leaders and moderators of civil associations conducted in 2021. The study showed that the central and regional authorities consider it necessary to control the forms of manifestation and the main directions of civic activity and coordinate the actions of its subjects. To achieve this goal, existing institutions, primarily Public Сhambers, are involved, as well as new ones are created in order to directly support socially useful initiatives. The forms of interaction are also very diverse - from providing opportunities for dialogue in the form of discussion platforms and round tables to direct resource support for specific projects. On the other hand, the main goal of self-organizing civil communities remains the solution of "urgent" local problems, which is the focus of their current activities. Although the situational relevance of the raised agenda may attract a large number of supporters to them, they do not pretend to participate in political power and are integrated into the proposed models of relationships. However, the interaction is complicated by the fact that associations of civil activists are often informal, poorly institutionalized and are not considered by the authorities as equal participants in political relations.