Unintended transformation? Organizational responses to regulative crackdown on civil society in Azerbaijan

ABSTRACTWhereas nearly half of the world’s countries have imposed restrictions on civil society organizations (CSOs) since the 1990s, little is known about how those regulations reshape the civic space and actors. This article delves into the patterns of transformation of organizational behaviours of traditional non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and new CSOs before and following the enforcement of coercive state policies against civil society in Azerbaijan. By applying the theory of new institutionalism, the article first analyzes the development of post-independence Azerbaijani civil society and the vulnerabilities thereof. Then, it uses original data to portray CSOs’ survival strategies in the face of institutional pressures – operationalizing Christine Oliver’s typology of strategic responses. The findings underscore dual unintended consequences. First, extant and emerging democracy-oriented Azerbaijani CSOs have pursued existence outside the regulative institutional control of the authoritarian regime since 2015. Second, the crackdown brought about marked de-NGOization of civil society while engendering alternative modes of organization in civic associations.KEYWORDS: Azerbaijancivil society restrictionsneo-institutionalismorganizational behaviour Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationNotes on contributorsNajmin KamilsoyNajmin Kamilsoy is a PhD candidate at the Department of Public and Social Policy at Charles University in Prague. His doctoral research focuses on organizational behaviour in civil society in the South Caucasus under the aspects of professionalization and outcomes for citizen engagement. He held a PhD Fellowship at the Center for Eastern European Studies of the University of Zurich in 2021. Kamilsoy’s previous articles appeared in Caucasus Analytical Digest, Baku Research Institute, and OpenDemocracy. His research interests include Western democracy aid and policymaking in authoritarian contexts.