Administrative Extremism as a Mechanism of Loyalty Management: An Analysis of Law Enforcement Practices, 2014–2023

Abstract:

This article analyzes the transformation of law enforcement practices in the field of countering extremism in the Russian Federation during the period 2014–2023. Particular attention is paid to the changes that occurred after 2021, when the recognition of several public organizations as extremist led to an expansion of criminal prosecution for participation in their activities, including forms of volunteer work that had previously been lawful.

The study demonstrates that, alongside criminal prosecution mechanisms, administrative measures—such as fines, official warnings, and disciplinary procedures—continue to be widely applied and exert a significant influence on the everyday behavior of citizens. Based on an analysis of publicly available court decisions, official explanations, and media documentation of relevant cases, the article identifies the emergence of a condition of normative uncertainty, which contributes to the spread of preventive self-restriction strategies among students and young professionals.

The article proposes that the combination of criminal and administrative practices can be interpreted as a mechanism of loyalty management, shaping the structure of civic activity and political participation in contemporary Russia.

Keywords:

anti-extremism legislation; administrative discretion; legal uncertainty; loyalty management; preventive self-censorship; political socialization; everyday authoritarianism; digital control; Russia; 2014–2023

Author: Veronika Golovatenko
ORCID: 0009-0005-0112-6873

International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research
Volume 4, Issue 4 (2023)

Reviewers:
Nikolai Fedenev
ORCID: 0009-0004-5073-195X

Suren Manukyan
ORCID: 0009-0003-5460-1848

DOI: pending

Full Text (PDF)

Administrative_Extremism_as_a_Mechanism_of_Loyalty_Management_An

Full Text (PDF) Russian

Административный_экстремизм_как_механизм_управления_лояльностью

References

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