Research Program on Mass Activity in Belarus

On January 27, at 18:00, the next meeting of the regular research seminar of the Political Sphere Institute will take place in the CSI courtyard.

Topic of the presentation: “Research Program on Mass Activity in Belarus”.

Speaker: Andrei Yahorau, discussant: Andrei Kazakevich.

All interested persons are invited.

For additional information about the venue, please contact [email protected] (https://palityka.org/2010/01/2009/12/16-snezhnya-2009-krytyka-belaruskaj-palitychnaj-analityki-ch-2/[email protected])
Presentation theses:
Objective:
On the basis of a broad range of factual information, to form a coherent understanding of the phenomenon of street actions as an element of the political life of Belarus.

To identify the factors of street activity, the specific features of actions in different historical periods, and their political, cultural, and social context.

Research program:
Definition of the concept of an action.

Classification of actions.

Determining the list of mass actions for 1990-2009.

Collection of information on mass actions according to defined parameters (see below).

Analysis of the collected material.

Analysis of individual parameters for 1990-2009, comprehensive analysis by periods (see below), correlations between parameters, factor analysis, etc.

General characterization of the remaining (non-mass) actions.

Parameters for the analysis of mass actions:
Geography of actions (within Belarus).

Number of participants in protest actions.

Number of participants in a particular action.

Number of participants over a certain period: month, quarter, half-year, etc.

Collective participants in actions (parties, organizations, institutions);
Frequency of actions.

Frequency of actions over individual periods: month, quarter, half-year, year, etc.

Organizers of actions (individuals, institutions, organizations).

Checking for trends in changes in this parameter (through correlations and comparison of periods).

Geography of actions (within a populated locality): routes, localization. “Permitted” and “non-permitted” routes.

Checking for trends in changes in this parameter (through correlations and comparison of periods).

Declared occasion for actions.

Checking for trends in changes in this parameter (through correlations and comparison of periods).

Slogans and goals of actions (from the organizers’ perspective).

Checking for trends in changes in this parameter (through correlations and comparison of periods).

Analysis of printed materials connected with the actions (their preparation).

Public and political influence of actions (where recorded).

Public and political influence of a particular action, or of actions over a certain period: quarter, half-year, etc.

Representation of actions in the media.

Techniques of actions (visual agitation, symbolism, concerts, etc.).

Violence during protest actions.

Repressive measures after actions.

Preliminary periodization:
1990-1996
1996-2000
2001-2009