Expressive citizenship in authoritarian contexts: understanding Russian youth online activism

Social media has transformed civic engagement by enabling new forms of political expression such as #MeToo and Black Lives Matter. In Russia, following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the authorities intensified online repression. In this study, based on 20 interviews with young anti-government Russian digital activists, we explore how they perceive digital engagement under restrictive political conditions, including their motivations, practices, and strategic adaptations. Our findings provide new empirical evidence on the evolving functions of digital activism in highly restrictive environments, demonstrating that under conditions in which collective mobilisation is not a viable option, online participation can serve as a means of expressing dissent, preserving civic identity, maintaining social connections, and coping with political isolation.