Understanding the real impact of Russian blogs (original) (raw)
2009, Russian Analytical Digest (RAD), #69
Previous Western analyses of the Russian blogosphere’s impact on the political system have been limited, often concluding that it has little political influence. However, in undemocratic contexts like Russia, political discourse becomes diffuse, with virtually any topic acquiring political connotations. Political activity often takes indirect, oblique, and symbolic forms, which may appear non-political or quasi-political to outsiders. The Russian blogosphere, in fact, mirrors the fundamental structural features of Russian society, including social atomization, distrust of official institutions (and broadly, any "Other"), and a strong reliance on personal networks for information, opinions, and support. Key characteristics of the Russian blogosphere—informality, symbolic action, and humor—align it more closely with popular laughter culture than with a traditional public sphere.