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Do voluntary associations matter for the spread of civic activism in Russia? Matching technique applied to survey data
Carol Leonard, Nazarov Z., Jakobson L. I.
This article develops an empirical model that tests whether in post-communist Russia prior membership in a civil society organization (CSO) motivates civic activism. Revisiting Tocquevillian notions of a nurturing effect by formal civil society organizations of civic activism, we aim to help explain recent research findings showing that civic activism is sustainable and vital in Russia. Methods. To test the main hypothesis of the study, we use the cross-sectional survey of Russians aged 18 and older in the fall of 2014 (N = 1,500) representing 43 regions conducted by the Russian Civil Society Monitoring Survey of the Higher School of Economics’ Centre for Studies of Civil Society and the Nonprofit Sector (2006–). We use the propensity score matching (PSM) technique to estimate the main effects. We also show that the effect of unobserved factors on our PSM estimates is limited using Rosenbaum bounds analysis. Results. The PSM analysis suggests that for all four indicators of civic activism, that is, willingness to integrate with other members of society, participation in tenant meetings, engagement in charity activities, and engagement in home improvement, CSO participation positively impacts civic activism. The impact varies from a 7.2 to 15.8 percent higher propensity of civic activism for CSO participants. Conclusion. We conclude that prior participation in a CSO can have a motivating influence on civic activism such as charity work, residential home improvement, willingness to integrate with other members of the society, and participation in tenant meetings.
Keywords: volunteeringpropensity score matchingcivic activismcivil society organizationsMotivating influence
Publication based on the results of:
Klyueva V., Сибирские исторические исследования 2025 № 3 С. 77–95
This article examines the role of public initiatives and volunteer movements in the preservation of Tobolsk’s historical and cultural heritage during the 1980s–1990s. During this period, modernization projects led to the destruction of the “old Tobolsk”. The “Dobraya Volya” club played a crucial role in the restoration and urban protection efforts. Its activities were closely ...
Added: March 26, 2026
Кайдышева Н. Н., Ученые записки НТГСПИ. Серия: История и филология 2024 № 4 С. 8–26
This article is devoted to the study of the history of volunteerism in the Soviet Union using the city of Nizhny Tagil as an example. The author substantiates the thesis that the social practices of Soviet citizens were a manifestation of charity. The work shows a wide range of forms of charity among the population ...
Added: February 22, 2026
Ivanov V., , in: ERNOP Conference Proceedings 2025.: European Research Network on Philanthropy, 2026. P. 90–95.
The historical development of volunteering and philanthropy in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan has been studied from ancient times to the present day. It was found that volunteering and charity in Central Asia have common historical roots. Nowdays in all countries surveyed, the state plays an active role in developing philanthropy and volunteering by introducing ...
Added: February 21, 2026
European Research Network on Philanthropy, 2026.
ERNOP Conference Proceedings 2025
European Research Network on Philanthropy (ERNOP)
Proceedings of contributions presented at the 12th ERNOP Conference 2025
"Philanthropy by the people, for the people?
The roles, organisations and motivations of philanthropy in
contemporary democracies and social structures"
Heidelberg, 25–26 September 2025
First edition ...
Added: February 21, 2026
Entina E., Россия в глобальной политике 2025 Т. 23 № 6 С. 138–149
Events in Serbia and the transformation of political objectives ...
Added: November 6, 2025
Smirnov N., Высшее образование в России 2025 Т. 34 № 3 С. 77–99
The study examines the effects of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research grant programme for doctoral students. It analyses the impact of the programme, implemented in 2019–2020, designed to support dissertation research among doctoral candidates. The study investigates the effects of receiving a grant on doctoral students’ outcomes and scientific productivity, specifically their successful thesis ...
Added: April 10, 2025
Ivanov V., Asadova E., Amreeva E. et al., Bonn: United Nations Volunteers, 2024.
The Review showcases the evolution of volunteering practices and highlights the value of volunteers' contribution to the development of Central Asian countries. The Review presents best practices of volunteering, the expertise of non-profit organizations, government agencies and volunteers themselves.
According to the Review:
More than 70% of the region’s volunteers participate in educational, environmental and social initiatives, ...
Added: March 3, 2025
Иванов Вячеслав, Асадова Э., Амреева Е. et al., Бонн: United Nations Volunteers, 2024.
The review is a first-of-its-kind comprehensive information product analysing the regulatory and legal frameworks in five countries that enable active citizens in the Central Asian region to volunteer. Split into five chapters, it serves as a tool to assess progress and take stock of the diverse ways in which volunteers contribute to the implementation of ...
Added: March 3, 2025
Shakina E., Barajas A., Sánchez-Fernández P., Heliyon 2024 Vol. 10 No. 14
Added: November 30, 2024
Jakobson L. I., Ivanova N., Mersiyanova I. V., , in: International Encyclopedia of Civil Society.: Springer Nature Switzerland AG, 2020. P. 1–6.
Volunteering is a complex phenomenon spanning a wide variety of activities, organization types, and sectors. Analysis of widely used definitions of the term allowed the identification of four common dimensions: volunteer nature of the activity; the nature of the reward; and activity context, formal or informal, and the beneficiary type. All of the aforementioned vary from ...
Added: November 30, 2024
Бабкин А. А., Вестник Российского университета дружбы народов. Серия: Политология 2025 Т. 27 № 3 С. 507–519
In the context of digitalization of society, neighborhood communication is increasingly moving online. The communication of neighbors on public social media platforms creates extensive archives of data that can be used for political science research. These data open up new opportunities for the study of grassroots politics, group identities, political activism, etc. Nevertheless, there is ...
Added: October 3, 2024
Elena Iarskaia-Smirnova, Chiarvesio F., Problems of Post-Communism 2025 Vol. 72 No. 3 P. 250–261
The study investigates the visibility politics used by civil society organizations representing persons with disabilities in Russia. The article applies the framework of social injustice developed by Nancy Fraser enabling the distinction of affirmative and transformative visibility politics that allow these actors not only to affirm guaranteed rights but also to promote structural changes. The ...
Added: September 7, 2024
Ivanov V., El Eryan Е., Changing Societies and Personalities 2024 Vol. 8 No. 1 P. 93–107
The paper examines the potential of Arab volunteers in solving social problems in their communities. Conceptually, volunteering is viewed as both part of social participation and a form of helping behavior. The research is based on the analysis of data from an online survey conducted among adult volunteers from 20 countries in the North Africa, Middle ...
Added: April 8, 2024
Irina V. Mersianova, Natalya V. Ivanova, Aleksandra S. Briukhno, Changing Societies and Personalities 2024 Vol. 8 No. 1 P. 78–92
An extensive body of research suggests a positive connection between subjective well-being (SWB) and volunteering. However, their relationship is often described in terms of health-related and personal psychological effects, thus raising an issue of elaborating proxies that would focus on the social effects and determinants of such relationship. This study aims to demonstrate a number of ...
Added: April 8, 2024
Zolotareva A., Хегай А. С., Kazennaya E. et al., Вопросы психологии 2023 Т. 69 № 3 С. 98–106
Numerous publications showed the positive impact of volunteering on the somatic and psychological health of the volunteers. The current study aimed to explore the relationship between volunteering engagement, somatization (the tendency to exhibit somatic responses to psychological distress), and psychological functioning (measuring emotional, social, and psychological well-being). The participants were 305 volunteers, comprising 36 men ...
Added: January 17, 2024
Gaete Sepulveda M. A., Kulbaeva A., Ким М., М.: Грифон, 2021.
The methodology was created as part of Service Learning, a joint initiative of the National Research University Higher School of Economics and the Agency for Social Investments and Innovations. This year the project was supported by the Presidential Grants Foundation. The Service Learning initiative is aimed at the development of intellectual volunteering among students: involvement ...
Added: January 17, 2024
Gebauer M., IZA Journal of Labor Policy 2023 Vol. 13 Article 03
This study develops a search and matching model for labour markets with temporary and permanent contracts. It matches empirical patterns of higher matching rates and lower surplus for temporary workers and predicts an increase in separation taxes leads to a fall in the number of new permanent jobs, an increase in their wages, and stable ...
Added: December 2, 2023
Hampton D., Wiepking P., Chapman C. et al., Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing 2023 No. 1814 P. 1–7
This practice paper articulates the key learnings for philanthropic organizations based on their experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Which actions can philanthropic organizations take to best support community needs during times of crisis? To answer this question, we synthesize information about how philanthropic organizations responded during the early COVID-19 crisis (spring―fall 2020) across 11 countries: ...
Added: September 8, 2023
Udalowska A., Osin E. N., / Series n/a "n/a". 2023. No. 23.
A recent quantitative study showed volunteering to be an important protective factor against the negative psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to further explore this area of research by analysing the experiences of those volunteering during the pandemic using qualitative methodology. Semi-structured interviews of six individuals volunteering in various roles throughout the ...
Added: March 22, 2023
Kennon M. Sheldon, Titova L., Evgeny Osin et al., Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology 2023 Vol. 33 No. 3 P. 708–718
We assessed the motivations, commitment, and subjective well-being (SWB) of 441 food bank volunteers, using motivation scales derived from self-determination theory and functional motives theory. Replicating the findings of Sheldon, Wineland, Venhoeven, and Osin's (2016) study of environmental activists, all motivation scales could be located on the autonomous or controlled motivation factors specified by self-determination ...
Added: October 27, 2022
Krasnopolskaya I., Guseva P., Мейс Л. et al., Мониторинг общественного мнения: Экономические и социальные перемены 2022 № 2 С. 384–408
The article relies on the thesis of the importance of the satisfaction of occasional volunteers for their future participation in volunteer activities. The research focuses on those volunteers who occasionally participate in various volunteer activities and leave after their completion. This form of volunteer participation is quite widespread and replaces regular volunteering in nonprofit organizations, ...
Added: June 8, 2022