«MANAGED» VIGILANCE: FROM VALUE CONFLICT TO NORM ESTABLISHING?

Abstract

Digital vigilantism is a complex phenomenon that unfolds in the contexts of sub-politics, the sphere where non-political actors make political decisions, and post-globalisation, the new, more controversial direction in which globalisation processes are developing. Whereas traditional vigilantism involves the use of unsanctioned violence, digital vigilantism is carried out through naming and shaming, the consequences of which can be public sanctions against the perpetrator of norms. Vigilantism has a significant role in transforming individual values into social norms, as well as in maintaining contested norms, countering unconventional values. Outlining the challenges of conceptualising vigilantism, the authors provide a number of classifications and examples of various vigilantism types in Russia. The authors focus on the problems of conceptualising vigilantism and provide a number of classifications and examples of types of vigilantism in Russia. In this country, the most consistently implemented model appears to be “managed vigilantism”, which involves, on the one hand, restrictions and bans on the activities of the vigilant groups and organisations and, on the other, establishing opportunities for those groups that use moderate practices and protect public values significant to the state and society. The authors use cluster analysis and LDA analysis to investigate discursive practices of seven vigilante communities, which illustrate four areas of the value spectrum. Based on the LDA analysis, discursive practices common to the vigilante communities were identified, allowing us to speak of common trends and the existence of a uniform vigilante culture. While the study confirmed the hypothesis that value orientations influence community discourse, due to the fact that practices of potentially radical vigilantes are being regulated, they have little impact on the general picture of digital vigilantism in Russia. The authors conclude that vigilantism is a controversial phenomenon requiring careful state regulation, while at the same time having certain positive potential to establish social norms in areas where formal institutions have proven ineffective.