Democracy as pothole repair: Civic applications and cyber-empowerment in Russia
The article examines the phenomenon of so-called civic apps, applications for smartphones and web largely used by Russian social movements in their fight against corruption, roads in poor condition, street faults and other public problems. Developed by independent programmers and anti-Putin activist...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Masaryk University
2014-10-01
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| Series: | Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberpspace |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://cyberpsychology.eu/article/view/4315 |
| _version_ | 1827310991608643584 |
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| author | Ksenia Ermoshina |
| author_facet | Ksenia Ermoshina |
| author_sort | Ksenia Ermoshina |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The article examines the phenomenon of so-called civic apps, applications for smartphones and web largely used by Russian social movements in their fight against corruption, roads in poor condition, street faults and other public problems. Developed by independent programmers and anti-Putin activists, these applications become a means of collective action and empowerment, redefining traditional repertoires of contention. They help citizens participate in public life by mapping, documenting and photographing different urban problems and hence enable citizen expertise and facilitate citizen control. The aim of this article is thus to understand how such small-scaled actions as pothole reporting or mapping street faults can become a means of empowerment and counter-democracy tools. The article is based on two years of field research and focuses on four cases of civic applications. Analyzing technical aspects, the genesis and design of these apps, the author provides an account of new repertoires of contention and new forms of citizenship created with the help of these tools. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T20:08:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-69b0ea1507684a5f996e4cb813ac9454 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1802-7962 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T20:08:49Z |
| publishDate | 2014-10-01 |
| publisher | Masaryk University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberpspace |
| spelling | doaj.art-69b0ea1507684a5f996e4cb813ac94542024-03-23T13:15:26ZengMasaryk UniversityCyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberpspace1802-79622014-10-018310.5817/CP2014-3-4Democracy as pothole repair: Civic applications and cyber-empowerment in RussiaKsenia ErmoshinaThe article examines the phenomenon of so-called civic apps, applications for smartphones and web largely used by Russian social movements in their fight against corruption, roads in poor condition, street faults and other public problems. Developed by independent programmers and anti-Putin activists, these applications become a means of collective action and empowerment, redefining traditional repertoires of contention. They help citizens participate in public life by mapping, documenting and photographing different urban problems and hence enable citizen expertise and facilitate citizen control. The aim of this article is thus to understand how such small-scaled actions as pothole reporting or mapping street faults can become a means of empowerment and counter-democracy tools. The article is based on two years of field research and focuses on four cases of civic applications. Analyzing technical aspects, the genesis and design of these apps, the author provides an account of new repertoires of contention and new forms of citizenship created with the help of these tools.https://cyberpsychology.eu/article/view/4315empowermentICTcontentioncivic applicationsRussia |
| spellingShingle | Ksenia Ermoshina Democracy as pothole repair: Civic applications and cyber-empowerment in Russia Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberpspace empowerment ICT contention civic applications Russia |
| title | Democracy as pothole repair: Civic applications and cyber-empowerment in Russia |
| title_full | Democracy as pothole repair: Civic applications and cyber-empowerment in Russia |
| title_fullStr | Democracy as pothole repair: Civic applications and cyber-empowerment in Russia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Democracy as pothole repair: Civic applications and cyber-empowerment in Russia |
| title_short | Democracy as pothole repair: Civic applications and cyber-empowerment in Russia |
| title_sort | democracy as pothole repair civic applications and cyber empowerment in russia |
| topic | empowerment ICT contention civic applications Russia |
| url | https://cyberpsychology.eu/article/view/4315 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kseniaermoshina democracyaspotholerepaircivicapplicationsandcyberempowermentinrussia |