Civil engagement vs. party participation: new forms of political interaction of ukrainians (survey of internally displaced persons)

Abstract

The Russian-Ukrainian war has been ongoing since 2014. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 resulted in profound changes to the global security, economic, social and humanitarian landscape. Additionally, it induced substantial transformations in the political life, political and economic activity, and the political reality of Ukraine. One of the most challenging issues for Ukrainian society and its authorities has been the emergence of a new social category of citizens: internally displaced persons (IDPs). They are transforming the economic landscape of certain regions by investing in real estate, securing employment and creating jobs as entrepreneurs, producing goods and providing services. IDPs have become an important part of community resilience. As members of the middle class, they are active citizens. The objective of the present article is to ascertain the most optimal and desirable forms of political participation, as perceived by IDPs themselves. The results of the qualitative study demonstrate a shift in the focus of IDP political participation, from party involvement to public activity (and potentially vice versa), signifying a novel form of political interaction between IDPs and public authorities, wherein IDPs present their own interests in public spaces. The authors conducted 201 individual face-to-face interviews with internally displaced persons from temporarily occupied regions of Ukraine and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, who had relocated to the Odesa, Vinnytsia and Kirovohrad oblasts. The findings of the study indicate a decline in the interest of IDPs in conventional political parties, accompanied by an increase in their engagement with civic initiatives and volunteering. A mere 3% of respondents indicated their intention to become party members in the near future, while a significant majority (69.2%) sought to demonstrate their activity in the public sector. This phenomenon suggests the emergence of a novel model of political participation in Ukraine, wherein civic engagement, as opposed to the influence of oligarchic parties (vertically organized leadership-type parties financed by monopolies), serves as the primary form of influence on socio-political processes. In this context, the question arises of whether civic activity and self-organization will be able to transform the oligarchic party system or if they will become its complement. The present study seeks to explore the influence of IDPs as a catalyst for civic mobilisation and economic sustainability of communities through the volunteer movement, self-organisation in communities, and rear unit leadership. It is argued that IDPs act as important "agents of influence" in this process. The potential of the public sector as an alternative to traditional party politics is indicated. It is also noteworthy that 27.9% of respondents expressed disinterest in both politics and civic activities. Concurrently, an augmentation in the number of public initiatives and projects implemented by IDPs has been documented.