Ermolaeva P.O., Basheva O.A., Ermolaeva Yu.V. Between Virtual and Physical: Features of Digital Activism of Russian Environmental Non-Profit Organizations. The Journal of Social Policy Studies. 2023. Vol. 21. No. 2. Pp. 241-258. https: ...

Òåêñò ñòàòüè íà ñàéòå æóðíàëà URL: https://jsps.hse.ru/article/view/17810 (äàòà îáðàùåíèÿ 02.10.2023)

Abstract

Based on semi-structured expert interviews with environmental non-profit organizations (ecoNPOs), this article provides a comprehensive analysis of their digital activism. The focus is on research questions related to digital tools and the implementation of user engagement in digital activism, as well as new opportunities and limitations that it opens for ecoNPOs. Using the Digital Environmental Humanities approach, the authors consider the features of environmental practices in online and offline spaces in their conceptual unity and comprehend the existing technical, organizational and other digital barriers when (re)producing environmental practices from online to offline space and back. The analysis showed a trend towards the digitalization of the activities of ecoNPOs, despite the fact that there is no clear division between offline and online practices as they complement each other. For activists, organizational leaders, and project coordinators, it is not always clear what 'digital activism' is because of the lack of reflection on the tools of their work. Almost all or - ganizations use websites and social networks, mobile applications, and interac - tive public maps based on big data algorithms to promote their activities. The mechanisms of public involvement in digital activism are quite diverse: from advertising on social networks, in friendly online communities to joint signing of digital petitions. The possibilities of digital forms of environmental partici - pation are ambiguous. On the one hand, there is a change in the paradigm of interaction between actors, in which they become not only consumers of in - formation, but also its producers; accordingly, there is an expansion of channels for civil society’s influence on decision- making processes. On the other hand, digital practices alienate users from real protest actions; at the same time, this form of participation is not available to all citizens, which generates new forms of digital inequality and social distances. Based on semi-structured expert interviews with environmental non-profit organizations (ecoNPOs), this article provides a comprehensive analysis of their digital activism. The focus is on research questions related to digital tools and the implementation of user engagement in digital activism, as well as new opportunities and limitations that it opens for ecoNPOs. Using the Digital Environmental Humanities approach, the authors consider the features of environmental practices in online and offline spaces in their conceptual unity and comprehend the existing technical, organizational and other digital barriers when (re)producing environmental practices from online to offline space and back. The analysis showed a trend towards the digitalization of the activities of ecoNPOs, despite the fact that there is no clear division between offline and online practices as they complement each other. For activists, organizational leaders, and project coordinators, it is not always clear what 'digital activism' is because of the lack of reflection on the tools of their work. Almost all or - ganizations use websites and social networks, mobile applications, and interac - tive public maps based on big data algorithms to promote their activities. The mechanisms of public involvement in digital activism are quite diverse: from advertising on social networks, in friendly online communities to joint signing of digital petitions. The possibilities of digital forms of environmental partici - pation are ambiguous. On the one hand, there is a change in the paradigm of interaction between actors, in which they become not only consumers of in - formation, but also its producers; accordingly, there is an expansion of channels for civil society’s influence on decision- making processes. On the other hand, digital practices alienate users from real protest actions; at the same time, this form of participation is not available to all citizens, which generates new forms of digital inequality and social distances. Based on semi-structured expert interviews with environmental non-profit organizations (ecoNPOs), this article provides a comprehensive analysis of their digital activism. The focus is on research questions related to digital tools and the implementation of user engagement in digital activism, as well as new opportunities and limitations that it opens for ecoNPOs. Using the Digital Environmental Humanities approach, the authors consider the features of envBased on  semi-structured expert interviews with   environmental non-profitorganizations (ecoNPOs), this    article provides a comprehensive analysis of their    digital activism. The    focus is  on   research questions related to  digital tools and   the   implementation of  user    engagement in  digital activism, as  well    as  new opportunities and    limitations that    it  opens for   ecoNPOs. Using the   DigitalEnvironmental Humanities approach, the   authors considerthe   features of environmental practices in  online and   offline spaces in  their    conceptual unity and   comprehend the   existing technical, organizational and   other    digital barrierswhen (re)producing environmental practices from    online to  offline space and back. The    analysis showed a trend towards the   digitalization of  the   activitiesof  ecoNPOs, despite the  fact   that   there    is  no  clear    division between offlineand   online practices as  they    complement each    other. For   activists, organizationalleaders, and   project coordinators, it  is  not always clear    what    'digital activism'is  because of  the   lack    of  reflection on   the   tools    of  their    work. Almost all   or-ganizations use websites and   social     networks, mobile applications, and   interac-tive    public maps based on   big   data    algorithms to  promote their    activities. The mechanisms of  public involvement in  digital activism are   quite    diverse: from advertising on  social     networks, in  friendly online communities to  joint    signingof  digital petitions. The    possibilities of  digital forms of  environmental partici-pation are   ambiguous. On   the   one    hand, there    is  a change in  the   paradigm of interaction between actors, in  which they    become not   only    consumers of  in-formation, but   also    its   producers; accordingly, there    is  an   expansion of  channelsfor   civil    society’s influence on   decision- making processes. On   the   other     hand, digital practices alienate users     from    real    protest actions; at  the   same     time,    this form of  participation is  not available to  all  citizens, which generates new    formsof digital inequality and social distances.ironmental practices in online and offline spaces in their conceptual unity and comprehend the existing technical, organizational and other digital barriers when (re)producing environmental practices from online to offline space and back. The analysis showed a trend towards the digitalization of the activities of ecoNPOs, despite the fact that there is no clear division between offline and online practices as they complement each other. For activists, organizational leaders, and project coordinators, it is not always clear what 'digital activism' is because of the lack of reflection on the tools of their work. Almost all or - ganizations use websites and social networks, mobile applications, and interac - tive public maps based on big data algorithms to promote their activities. The mechanisms of public involvement in digital activism are quite diverse: from advertising on social networks, in friendly online communities to joint signing of digital petitions. The possibilities of digital forms of environmental partici - pation are ambiguous. On the one hand, there is a change in the paradigm of interaction between actors, in which they become not only consumers of in - formation, but also its producers; accordingly, there is an expansion of channels for civil society’s influence on decision- making processes. On the other hand, digital practices alienate users from real protest actions; at the same time, this form of participation is not available to all citizens, which generates new forms   of digital inequality and social distances. Based on semi-structured expert interviews with environmental non-profit organizations (ecoNPOs), this article provides a comprehensive analysis of their digital activism. The focus is on research questions related to digital tools and the implementation of user engagement in digital activism, as well as new opportunities and limitations that it opens for ecoNPOs. Using the Digital Environmental Humanities approach, the authors consider the features of environmental practices in online and offline spaces in their conceptual unity and comprehend the existing technical, organizational and other digital barriers when (re)producing environmental practices from online to offline space and back. The analysis showed a trend towards the digitalization of the activities of ecoNPOs, despite the fact that there is no clear division between offline and online practices as they complement each other. For activists, organizational leaders, and project coordinators, it is not always clear what 'digital activism' is because of the lack of reflection on the tools of their work. Almost all organizations use websites and social networks, mobile applications, and interactive public maps based on big data algorithms to promote their activities. The mechanisms of public involvement in digital activism are quite diverse: from advertising on social networks, in friendly online communities to joint signing of digital petitions. The possibilities of digital forms of environmental participation are ambiguous. On the one hand, there is a change in the paradigm of interaction between actors, in which they become not only consumers of in-formation, but also its producers; accordingly, there is an expansion of channels for civil society’s influence on decision- making processes. On the other hand, digital practices alienate users from real protest actions; at the same time, this form of participation is not available to all citizens, which generates new forms of digital inequality and social distances.