Workshop on Participation of Young People in Civil Society 15-16 November 2013 http://www.sebeke.org.tr/en/?page_id=179

1. Airi-Alina Allaste

2. 
Overview of grassroots activism in Europe based
on findings of secondary analyses of literature
about activism conducted in 14 European
countries for general description (report together
with Ferrer, M.)

Findings of grassroot activism in Estonia based on
analyses of 60 open-ended interviews in 2
contrasting sites

3. •
Memory, Youth, Political Legacy And Civic
Engagement 2011-1015
– A 14 country / 15 region project financed by EC FP7
– North and south, east and west, new and old Europe
– 30 contrasting research sites, 2 in each region
– Quantitative, qualitative and policy working groups
– Project blog http://myplacefp7.wordpress.com/

4. 
Does politically passive youth who have not
experience of authoritarian regime and has not
(yet) determined its political preferences, support
(radical) populist parties and ideas which promise
‘the solution’?

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WP1 Stocktaking and design
WP2 Interpreting the past - the construction and
transmission of historical memory, co-operation with
museums
WP3 Field preparation (Focus groups and expert interviews)
WP4 Measuring participation (Survey – 2 contrasting cases
in each country)
WP5 Interpreting participation (Interviews with people
participated in survey)
WP6 Mapping activism
WP7 Interpreting activism (ethnographies – 3 cases in every
country and clusters that unite cases over countries)
WP8 Policy and impact (Youth Policy Advisory Groups
(YPAGs) - research integrated to policy and practice)

6. •
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Electoral participation
Political parties
National formal organisations
International organisations
Voluntary groups with a civic function
Religious organisations
(Sub)cultural groups
Social movements
Protest actions
Political consumerism
Internet related activism
Political attitudes (political involvement)

7. 
Grassroots activities (as opposed to the top-down model)
overlap with cause-oriented repertoires (focus specic
issues and policy concerns) as opposed to citizenoriented actions (Norris, 2007)

Borderline between political and unpolitical, between
private and public is increasingly blurred

Subactivism is a kind of politics that unfolds at the level of
subjective experience and is submerged in the flow of
everyday life. It is constituted by small-scale, often
individual, decisions and actions that have either a
political or ethical frame of reference (or both) and are
difficult to capture using the traditional tools with which
political participation is measured. (Bakardjieva 2009: 92)

8. Protesting in wider sense (strikes, boycotts,
petitions, mass demonstrations etc Barnes and
Kasse 1979) are not marginal but rather
mainstream and everyday activities connected to
lifestyle choices.
 Cause-oriented repertoires have broadened
engaging in ‘‘consumer’’ and ‘‘lifestyle’’ politics,
line between the ‘‘social’’ and ‘‘political’’ breaks
down even further


9. Different types of movements mentioned:
ecological, student, anarchist, genderrelated, single-issue etc.
Finland, Germany, Greece, UK mentioned
radical right movements.
In some Eastern European countries not
mentioned or non-existent (Germany,
Hungary) or low involvement (Latvia)

10. Indirect political activism
Activism through music, graffiti and football fans
Skin-heads and neo-nazi groups (Croatia, Finland,
Portugal, Slovakia, Latvia)

11. Protest (public meetings) has become quite popular way
of activism (exception Georgia, Latvia, Hungary)
Protest through cultural activity (subcultures)
Micro-level protest (workplace and school)
Mostly peaceful protest but radicalisation in Greece, UK
with riots of excluded groups
New trends (after review made) seeminagly evident in
portugal and Spain

12. Refers to citizens’ consumer behaviour motivated
by ethical, environmental, and political
considerations
Buycotting and Boycotting
Very established in Germany, Finland, UK, Spain
and Portugal
Different patterns between Western and Eastern
Europe (with the exception of Croatia and Estonia)

13. In general, increasingly use of Internet among the young
people, generation @
Southern Europe, UK, Germany, Finland, Estonia,
Slovakia very active.
Different types of Internet activism: networking ,
mobilization, petitions.
Permanent forums for movements and civic groups,
radical groups (Finland)

14. Quite generalised activism but it seems different levels of
civil society development (UK, Ger, Fin very spread in
terms of civic activism)
Most Eastearn European seems to be more marginal (low
number)
If there is some trend mentioned, there is an increase

15. Increase in grassroots/ subactivism recent years,
especially different ways of protest
 Generally more activism (based on literature) in
Western-Europe compared to Eastern Europe


16. •
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Authoritarian Communist regime and its destroyal of
independent institutions caused popular distrust of
the state
The restoration of independence 1991
Political structure changed from a single-party rule to
a parliamentary system, administrative institutions
were reorganised, central planning changed to
capitalist free market economy and society of
shortages changed to consumer society.
Success-oriented society with materialistic and
individualistic values.
Until recently strong support to liberal right-wing party
Ethnic Estonians as initiators of social shange in
nineties, citizenship law left many russian-speakers
without citizenship
Two different communities by language and culture
and media influence.

17. Rise of social movements and community activism
recent years
 Rise of protest, strike and demonstration activities
escpecially during 2012 (‘financing’ scandal; Acta;
Charter 12; education reform)
 High level internet use which influence internet
activism (mostly discussions, sharing, reading,
also petitions)
 Still partly negative connotations to ‘activism’


18. Tartu - a regional centre with good perspective for
development, university, lots of young people,
mostly ethnic Estonian population (97%), 2012
unemployment rate 8%, avarage income 837 EUR
per month.
 Narva - ‘dying city’ which lost its industrial
importance after collapse of Soviet union and
have been characterised by high unemployment,
aging population and social problems since,
mostly Russian-speakers (%) 2012 unemplyment
rate 17,5; avarage income 723 EUR


19. Sample: 16-26 year olds
 Fieldwork in late 2012 – early 2013
 Survey n=634 in Tartu and n=617 Ida-Viru county
 Open ended in-depth interviews with volunteers (29
and 31).
 Coding in Nvivo 9.2 - open coding and axial coding
in separate language, coordinated and finally
united.


20. 
Theoretical ideas versus conventional meanings
◦ Tarmo, 21, Tartu County: /.../ still, the first idea that comes
to my mind when I think about something political is that it is
something that those statesmen solve and something that
thus very indirectly affects me, that it is out of my reach /.../

Negative associations
◦ Ivari, 24, Tartu County: I don’t know, it seems to me, that ...
has emerged, such a slight (2) clef, between the
government and people or ... that such a distrust has arisen
(3) /…/ altogether these political decisions, they do not, in
such an immediate way … reach the people /.../ questions
will arise and then ... doubts. That … that maybe they,
those men who have been elected there, do not do their job
properly.

21. Economic problems and ethnic tensions
 State versus individual responsibility

◦ Age, 22, Tartu County: unemployment allowances
actually should not be very high /…/ simply people would
think that well ... if I get approximately the same amount
of money like for sitting at home then, well, why should I
go /…/ I’ll do some moonlighting somewhere /…/ maybe
a person should live a bit hard-pressed, before he gets it,
that … that it is up to himself to ... bring it off and do
something.

22. 
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Since mid-2000srevolutionary development of information
technology solutions has influenced various levels of the
society
In Estonia, it coincided with replacement of the transition
culture of the 1990s for network society.
The most important change has been the decline in the
influence of media corporations and official institutions.
The web environment supports global communication and
blooming of niche media, but it also broadens the
possibilities for activism.
The simplest form of political participation for modern youth
- to express opinion through easy discussion, sharing or
simply ‘liking’ the actions or subjects that seem important.

23. 
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Gerli, 18, Tartu County , Well, on Facebook, I don’t know,
there are many different things that I have ‘liked’ and other
things…. Directly, I don’t know, like participated in some
bigger projects but who knows, maybe I have ‘liked’
something that has changed into something bigger, you
could even be unaware of it yourself!
Oskar, 25, Tartu County, I have ‘liked’ some of these
activities on Facebook and like that… like joined it … being
against ACTA and all these… but Facebook… I don’t
believe it changes anything, even though there are people
who think that Facebook will change the world.

24. Ida-Viru County youth tended to be more sceptical
about the impact of Internet activism
 Alexander, 25, Ida-Viru County: To me, it seems
that only people who have nothing to do get
involved in it. It seems to me like this… they are
some kind of obscure activists, it would be better
for them to do some work instead – it seems like
this to me.


25. 
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Kristel, 25, Tartu County, When there is a topic that like
interests me, for example, on Facebook somebody has
posted on the wall, then I will, for example, read this article,
right. Basically it works, if this would not be there, then I
would not read it, but I am not myself like active in this
sense.
Gerli, 18, Tartu County:
How did the information about this reach you anyway?
I remember I started looking these videos on YouTube,
which were made by the Anonymous or this Legion, so to
say /…/ And after that all kinds of information came from
there, then I looked around in the Internet, did some more
research.

26. 

10% of the young people from the Tartu County and
2% from Ida-Viru County had uploaded political
material to the Internet
Tarmo, 21, Tartu County: I know a couple of people
who constantly share something, one of them is the
former president of the Students’ Union who all the
time shares like these political articles and what
Ministers have said, so I read these from time to time.
I have very rarely shared something myself. For
example, I remember that a couple of days ago I
shared this video with a very strong message… this
video against bullying. I felt that the problem is serious
and it is necessary to do something there and so that
my voice would be heard too.

27. 
Petitsioon.ee is an internet forum launched in 2010 by
Central Union of Estonian Proprietors, where
everyone can:
◦ initiate petitions
◦ organise various actions
◦ poll about relevant issues in society

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
21% of the Tartu County and 8% of the Ida-Viru
County youth had signed petitions
6% in Tartu and 5% in Ida-Viru County had collected
signatures themselves
As petitsioon. ee is in Estonian and Russian-speakers
have not equivalent environment.

28. 

Ly, 23, Ida-Viru County: When this Charter 12 started,
it was very interesting. We immediately joined the
petition or I am not sure how to say it. When they did
something about it in the Internet, Petitsioon.ee, some
thing, and then we joined.
Lembit, 17, Tartu County: We have this Raja park and
now they plan to build apartment houses there. I like
sports, I am used to running there in summer, and
when they opened the petition in the Internet, I signed
that I am against this construction plan.

29. You have signed to several petitions?
 Tartu, Oliver: It is because of the petitsioon. Ee I
pay attention to where I sign my name on principle
/.../ Normally I read it thoroughly


Tartu, Gerli: There was a thing going around, a
petition of some sort where signatures or names
were collected, I don’t remember what the topic
was, my mother signed it, I think, and I did as well.

30. Financial limitation for not showing attitudes or
political beliefs through consumption
 16% from thee Tartu County and 4% from the IdaViru County admitted to have boycotted or
purchased products for political, ethical, or
environmental reasons.


31. 
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Lyubov, 22, Ida-Viru County: I cannot imagine that
France could insult me so gravely so that I would give
up / laughs / the goods, buying their cosmetics, I don’t’
know.
Ege, 23, Tartu County: I haven’t arrived there yet, but
more because I haven’t seen information like that
anywhere, about some specific product. /…/ Don’t
know, but if I’d really care about some idea and nonbuying would support this idea, then I would perhaps
participate in this.

32. 
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Lifestyle choices as tactics of social change
Kristel, 25, Tartu County: For example, this type of fish is
being raised in a way that in my opinion is completely
abnormal and for example eggs… I bought these there
always… which were by these chickens who can run
around outside… that they are not kept in some 20 cm
sized cages… and… for example I do not buy Indian nuts /
…/ I have heard that... Basically, they are being cleaned by
some nasty chemicals and some small kids in India do that
/…/. I don’t like directly to go to the Internet to find out more
on how things are done or this and that. But I look into this
food issue quite often.
Georg, 16, Ida-Viru County: I mainly try to buy Estonian
products … I think these are of high quality, reliable. I don't
think they would like cheat on the inhabitants of their own
country.

33. 
Armand, 21, Ida-Viru County: Say “Estonian Flag
Label” or like ‘Made in Estonia’, food products…
the basic principle remains the same... I mean if I
see that a product is of high quality but costs less,
because patriotism or not, but the possibilities of
the population should somehow be considered, I
mean if I don't have the extra three euro required
to pay for something, I will not pay them...

34. 
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Simmo, 24, Tartu County: I still prefer to buy Estonian things and more
broadly like European things, in this sense I feel this European identity
too in myself, so let’s say that if I could choose [among products] with
equal prices or even if the European thing would cost a bit more than a
Chinese or an American one, then I would still prefer the European one.
Tarmo, 21, Tartu County: If you’re a student, you cannot really afford
that… /…/ I don’t go to McDonalds as a matter of principle. /…/
McDonalds is like a huge American conglomerate and I don’t really
know how good is the quality of their products.
Tartu County : I don’t really like to buy Russian products. Not that I am
like specifically against Russians but because I feel that I would be
feeding with taxes an authoritarian regime like that.

35. Only (violent) riots took place in 2007 (sparked by
moving the Soviet Unknown Soldier statue).
 Protest, public meetingsduring 2012 (‘financing’
laundry scandal; Acta; Charter 12; education
reform)
 18%/8% of the respondents in Tartu county/IdaViru county had attended a public meeting dealing
with political or social issues, 17%/6% had
participated in demonstrations, 8%/3% in flash
mobs, and 5%/5% in strikes.


36. Lembit, 17, Tartu County: I think it’s a good thing
that people speak openly about their opinions and
we have freedom of speech and democracy after
all. I think it’s normal that things like these happen.
In my opinion, there should be more, so the state
would hear what people think of issues like these.



37. Participation differed radically at the two sites. In
Tartumaa, most often discussed grassroots-level
activism referring 2012
 Oskar, 25, Tartu County: I am really against ACTA
… well, I don’t believe in copyright at all /…/ this
really was a positive experience, so many people
were against it … because … young people … it’s
understandable, but my parents were as well …
uhm … they were protesting there too … Maybe
older people were protesting against the …
Reform Party … kind of like against Ansip’s
government.


38. In Ida-Viru County limited number of people had
public demonstrations-related experiences; the
riots in April 2007 were mentioned most often
 Lev, 25, Ida-Viru County: Well... purely
coincidentally in 2007, as a coincidence, well, a
friend invited me, but it somehow turned out that…
the crowd /…/ Without any preparations, if… they
had wanted like... I don't know… overthrow...
preparations would have been required…
something like… at least some kind of fireworks…
but, damn, everybody went like to a party /.../
thanks to Ansip, everybody remembered...
remembered about the statue.


39. At both sites, there were people who had never
participated in demonstrations and considered this
kind of protesting useless, stupid or dangerous.
 Silvia, 19, Tartu County: When I watched the news,
then it was like that basically every day there was
some protest and I have not seen that something
has changed.
 So it’s like pointless?
 Well, not like pointless, but not with a very good
point either, rather gets you into trouble. /…./ I have
heard that the police have arrested people.


40. Mart, 25, Tartu County: I have told everybody who
complain that things are really bad, that if you will
not protest, then you actually have to be that
peasant who eats potato peelings. Greeks and all
are protesting now /.../ but Estonians do not find
time for that, but find time to go drinking. /.../ If
10% of the people who say something about
these issues in the Internet would show up at
meetings, there would be a big crowd!



41. 


Sandra, 20, Tartu County: When this risk is really
that high that our independence could again
disappear.
Russian-speakers more dependent on their peer
group or role models
Armand, 21, Ida-Viru County:When Lauristin comes
out to the streets, starts chanting /…/ when
somebody of the professorial elite comes out and
starts chanting something, when Lotman comes out
to the street, perhaps then I will see that oh, they
have come out, this means that things are bad or

42. Yelena, 26, Ida-Viru County: For example, what
can be dangerous? Go to the streets, yell things
there? Yes! Hang out a banner of some kind –
yes. Something that involves the police – I don’t
think so. I’m not dumb, why do something so
stupid.
 In case of extreme situation young people tended
to see emigration as a solution to the situation, but
excluded violent protests.


43. This division between the two communities
determines most of the perceptions and activities
of young people.
 Informants from Ida-Viru county tended to be less
informed about different topics, less active in
society, more pessimistic about their possible
influence and more dependent on their peers.
 Connected to the developments that started in the
nineties. Whereas ethnic Estonians have been
the initiators of the social change, many Russianspeakers have perceived changes in the society
as imposed from outside and threatening their
identity.


44. Scandals and protests during the last years
probably influenced negative attitudes towards
politics, especially among Estonian speakers.
 Estonians criticize politicians, but they do not
distinguish themselves from the state or nation –
‘we, Estonian people’ against ‘them, alienated
politicians’. Russian-speaking young people
distinguish ‘us, Russian-speakers’ from ‘them,
Estonians and their state’


45. In many cases young people are (politically) active
without aknowledging it.
 People tended to be the most engaged when
something had a personal significance for them
 Personal and the political connected (especially in
political consumption).
 Belief on one’ s ability to change something
depends on position in society (including
economic restrictionbs) and on the other hand recreates passivity (e.g. Petitsioon.ee)
