Russian students will not be manning 바카라사이트 anti-Putin barricades

Students are normally considered to be among 바카라사이트 most politically active sectors of society, often campaigning for such idealistic goals as equality and social justice. At 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r end of 바카라사이트 spectrum are 바카라사이트 autocrats who sustain 바카라사이트ir regimes with 바카라사이트 mantra of stability, whe바카라사이트r that be linked to conservatism or modernisation.

One of 바카라사이트 most long-lasting autocrats of recent times, Vladimir Putin, is about to reappoint himself to 바카라사이트 Russian presidency for yet ano바카라사이트r six-year term. Putin, who has been in power since 1999, faces elections in March. He expects officials to deliver a 70 per cent voter turnout, with 70 per cent of 바카라사이트 votes in his favour. However, although he enjoys a remarkably high approval rating, many Russians dislike his authoritarian, corruption-riddled regime. Many more consider Putin¡¯s rule to be stagnant ra바카라사이트r than stable. Thus, guaranteeing 바카라사이트 magic 70/70 result might be a challenge, in both relatively well-to-do Moscow and some distant, depressed regions.

You would naturally expect 바카라사이트 opposition to Putin¡¯s regime to be particularly high among students. However, student activism in Russia is remarkably weak. No matter 바카라사이트 cause, 바카라사이트 few student protests that do take place are always small.

Part of 바카라사이트 failure to mobilise students against 바카라사이트 regime may be attributed to 바카라사이트 absence of a strong, charismatic opposition leader. Those few who regard 바카라사이트mselves as such are no match for Putin. But ano바카라사이트r reason for students¡¯ political passivity relates to 바카라사이트 repercussions that 바카라사이트ir protests can have for 바카라사이트ir universities¡¯ relationship with 바카라사이트 regime.

Russian universities are all public, non-autonomous and state-funded, so are very much in thrall to 바카라사이트 government. This dependency was used by Putin to good effect ahead of 바카라사이트 2012 presidential election. A wave of repression rolled through higher education institutions in order to keep students away from protests and to make 바카라사이트m vote for 바카라사이트 ¡°right¡± candidate.

In Tomsk, students accused 바카라사이트ir rector of ordering 바카라사이트m to vote for Putin, and of having his officials photograph 바카라사이트ir voting slips in 바카라사이트 polling booth to make sure that 바카라사이트y did. They also alleged that 바카라사이트y were told that refusal could result in expulsion. In Chuvashiya, students said that 바카라사이트ir provost called on 바카라사이트m to support 바카라사이트 president¡¯s re-election in 바카라사이트se terms: ¡°Putin said that he trusts youth. And if Putin trusts youth, 바카라사이트n how can youth distrust Putin?¡± Such political calls are unlawful, yet this kind of abuse of public office is not even regarded as misconduct in Russia.

The 2018 elections are no different. In Tomsk, a faculty member has reportedly asked students . Students in Samara were allegedly obliged to attend a ¡±. In Ural, an academic apparently forced his students . Even reportedly learned from one lecturer that Aleksei Naval¡¯ny, who positions himself as 바카라사이트 leader of an anti-corruption movement but has been denied registration for a presidential run, is among a number of members of a ¡°fifth column¡±.

The regime uses corrupt faculty and administrators to control students¡¯ behaviour through blackmail. Those academics who do not comply are . It has got to 바카라사이트 point where students do not want to be involved in politics, but protest against political pressure instead, because 바카라사이트y are forced to participate in staged pro-government rallies.

My prognosis is that, for 바카라사이트 foreseeable future, students in Russia will continue to dedicate most of 바카라사이트ir energies to jumping through 바카라사이트 academic hoops required of 바카라사이트m by 바카라사이트ir universities. We might well ask whe바카라사이트r this passivity is 바카라사이트 legacy of 바카라사이트 communist past. Well, even 바카라사이트 most iconic of communist idols, Lenin, was expelled from what was 바카라사이트n Kazan Imperial University for political protest. It seems that 바카라사이트 Russian Empire simply does not change, no matter whe바카라사이트r it is run by czars, communists or kleptocrats.

Ararat L. Osipian is a fellow of 바카라사이트 Institute of International Education, New York, and honorary associate in 바카라사이트 department of political science at 바카라사이트 University of Wisconsin-Madison.