The Relationship Between Voluntary Associations and Civic Engagement in Russia

Testing the Neo-Tocquevillian Perspective

Dados Bibliográficos

ID22201701
AutoresRuslan S Mukhametov (Ural Federal University, autor correspondente), Р С Мухаметов (0000-0002-5175-8300, Ural Federal University, Yekaterinburg)
Ano2025
Volume9
Fascículo4
Páginas891-913
Data de publicação2025-12-29
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoChanging Societies and Personalities (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 2587-6104 • E-ISSN: 2587-8964
EditoraUral Federal University (PUBLISHER • RU)
DOI10.15826/csp.2025.9.4.358
OpenAlexW7117451803
IdiomaEN
Referências citadas56

This study examines the relationship between citizens’ participation in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and their civic engagement in the Russian context. The research addresses why some individuals actively participate in political life while others remain disengaged, drawing on the neo-Tocquevillian tradition that views NGOs as “schools of democracy.” Based on this theoretical framework, several hypotheses are formulated regarding the impact of NGOs and government-organized NGOs (GONGOs) on different forms of civic activity, including electoral participation, protest behavior, and voluntary donations. The empirical basis of the analysis is provided by the seventh wave of the World Values Survey involving a representative sample of 1,810 respondents from the Russian Federation who were interviewed in 2017. Methodologically, the study employs regression analysis, incorporating dependent variables (indicators of civic engagement), independent variables (participation in NGOs), and control variables (sociodemographic and value characteristics). The findings demonstrate that participation in GONGOs is positively associated with electoral activity and the volume of donations but shows no significant effect on protest behavior. When operationalized in binary form, trade union membership is linked to reduced electoral participation and decreased donations to independent organizations. Women’s associations exhibit no statistically significant influence on civic engagement. The study concludes that the type and the institutional character of NGOs determine their impact on civic participation, redistributing citizens’ resources toward institutionalized and state-sanctioned forms of activity

Civic engagement · Operationalization · Politics · Turnover · Variables · Voluntary association · Nonprofit Sector and Volunteering · Political Influence and Corporate Strategies · Social Capital and Networks