The Evolution of Russia's Civil Society under Vladimir Putin: A Cause for Concern or Grounds for Optimism?

This article discusses the evolution of Russia's civil society during the presidency of Vladimir Putin. The paper utilises a complex definitional prism that views civil society in terms of three independent but inextricably interconnected pillars. It examines civil society as a kind of society, a part of society, and as a distinct public sphere as seen in the set of institutional norms and forms. The paper empirically challenges the existing conclusions in that the three spheres must develop in concert and cannot exist without a permanent fully-fledged interaction. The discussion reveals the unbalanced evolution of the three spheres in Russia and the potential problems that this situation might cause in the longer term. The paper also claims that, while the development of some of these spheres gives grounds for concern, others provide hopes for cautious optimism.