“Elista Is Our City”: Kalmykia’s 2019 Protests and Politics in Russia’s Republics
In: Caucasus SurveySearch for other papers by Edward C. Holland in
Current site
Google Scholar
Abstract
Russia’s republics – 22 regions in the larger federation that are territorially defined and represent areas where non-Russian ethnic populations are concentrated – have been generally quiescent during the two decades of Vladimir Putin’s leadership. However, in 2019 Kalmykia was the site of protests against leadership changes in which locals had scant political voice. This paper focuses on the demonstrations in Kalmykia and provides a detailed account of the associated causes, motivations, and outcomes. The protests augur an increased awareness of the double marginalization of Russia’s minority groups, both politically and on the basis of nationality, in the country’s governance. This condition has notable implications given Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
Purchase
Buy instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):
Institutional Login
Log in with Open Athens, Shibboleth, or your institutional credentials
Personal login
Log in with your brill.com account
-
Avedissian, K. 2016. “Clerics, weightlifters, and politicians: Ramzan Kadyrov’s Instagram as an official project of Chechen memory and identity production.” Caucasus Survey 4, 1: 20–43.
-
Azar, I. 2019. Bunt na korable pustyni. Kalmyki vosstali protiv mera iz “DNR” i gubernatora-kikboksera: reportazh iz Elisty. Novaya Gazeta, 11 November 2019. Available at: https://novayagazeta.ru/articles/2019/11/11/82675-bunt-na-korable-pustyni (accessed 6 October 2022).
-
Barabannov, I. 2019. “‘Narod tebia ne khochet’. Kak v Kalmykii protestuiut protiv mera iz DNR.” BBC News Russian Service, 23 October 2019, available at: https://www.bbc.com/russian/features-50138550 (accessed 12 October 2022).
-
BBC News Russian Service. 2022. “Protesty protiv mobilizatsii v Rossii: v Dagestane – strel’ba I skandirovanie ‘net voyne,’ v Yakitii – khorovod.” 25 September 2022, available at: https://www.bbc.com/russian/63029167 (accessed 18 November 2022).
-
Beissinger, M. R. 2002. Nationalist mobilization and the collapse of the Soviet state. New York: Cambridge University Press.
-
Beissinger, M. R. No date. Demonstrations and mass violent events in the USSR, 1987–1992 [Event databases used for the analysis in Nationalist Mobilization and the Collapse of the Soviet State]. Available at: https://scholar.princeton.edu/mbeissinger/software/demonstrations-and-mass-violent-events-ussr-1987-1992 (accessed 7 October 2022).
-
Bennetts, M. 2019. “On the Kremlin shortlist: has Putin chosen Sergei Shoigu to be his successor?” The Times, 11 October 2019, available at: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/on-the-kremlin-shortlist-has-putin-chosen-sergei-shoigu-to-be-his-successor-s5cgtfnf0 (accessed 7 October 2022).
-
Biurchiev, B. 2020. “Kalmykiia: ot onlayn-mitinga k metarespublike.” OpenDemocracy Russia, 15 January 2020, available at: https://www.opendemocracy.net/ru/kalmykiya-ot-onlayn-mitinga-k-metarespublike/ (accessed 7 October 2022).
-
Blakkisrud, H. 2015. “Governing the governors: legitimacy vs. control in the reform of the Russian regional executive.” East European Politics 31, 1: 104–121.
-
Caucasian Knot. 2020. “Activists demand to punish speaker of Khakassia Parliament for his words about Kalmyks’ deportation.” 30 January 2020, available at: https://www.eng.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/49858/ (accessed 7 October 2022).
-
Chebankova, E. 2009. Russia’s federal relations: Putin’s reforms and management of the regions. London: Routledge.
-
Churyumova, E. 2015. “Why do Kalmyks want a new national leader?” Inner Asia 17, 1: 100–117.
-
Eldyaeva, N. A. and Kovanova, E. S. 2018. “Vyiavlenie i izmerenie faktorov prodolzhitel’nosti trudovoi migratsii naseleniia (na primere Respubliki Kalmykiia).” Voprosy statistiki 25, 7: 40–48.
-
Giuliano, E. and Gorenburg, D. 2012. “The unexpectedly underwhelming role of ethnicity in Russian politics, 1991–2011.” Demokratizatsiya: The Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization 20, 2: 175–188.
-
Golosov, G. V. and Tkacheva, T. 2018. “Let my people run: Pre-election resignations of Russia’s governors, 2013–2015.” Problems of Post-Communism 65, 4: 243–252.
-
Goode, J. P. 2004. “The push for regional enlargement in Putin’s Russia.” Post-Soviet Affairs 20, 3: 219–257.
-
Goode, J. P. 2011. The decline of regionalism in Putin’s Russia: Boundary issues. London: Routledge.
-
Gorenburg, D. P. 2003. Minority ethnic mobilization in the Russian Federation. New York: Cambridge University Press.
-
Graney, K. E. 2009. Of Khans and Kremlins: Tatarstan and the future of ethno-federalism in Russia. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.
-
Greene, S. A. 2013. “Beyond Bolotnaia: Bridging Old and New in Russia’s Election Protest Movement.” Problems of Post-Communism 60, 2: 40–52.
-
Greene, S. and Robertson, G. 2022. “Affect and Autocracy: Emotions and Attitudes in Russia after Crimea.” Perspectives on Politics 20, 1: 38–52.
-
Guchinova, E. B. 2020. “Awaiting the Chakravarti-Tsar: Buddhists and Politics in Contemporary Kalmykia.” Anthropology & Archeology of Eurasia 59, 1: 8–28.
-
Hale, H. E. 2005. “The makeup and breakup of ethnofederal states: Why Russia survives where the USSR fell.” Perspectives on Politics 3, 1: 55–70.
-
Hale, H. E. 2018. “How Crimea pays: Media, rallying ‘round the flag, and authoritarian support.” Comparative Politics 50, 3: 369–391.
-
Heitmann, N. and Gessen, K. 2022. “Russia’s Republic of Grief.” The New Yorker, 18 August 2022, available at: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/photo-booth/russias-republic-of-grief (accessed 7 October 2022).
-
Holland, E. C. 2014. “Buddhism in Russia: challenges and choices in the post-Soviet period.” Religion, State & Society 42, 4: 389–402.
-
Holland, E. C. 2019. “Leadership change and protests in Russia’s Kalmykia: Moscow’s corruptive meddling and its discontents.” PONARS Eurasia Policy Memo 628, https://www.ponarseurasia.org/memo/leadership-change-and-protests-russias-kalmykia-moscows-corruptive-meddling (accessed 17 June 2022).
-
Holley, D. 2004. “Kalmykia, Russia’s Buddhist outpost in Europe, toes the Kremlin line.” Los Angeles Times, 7 November 2004, available at: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-nov-07-fg-rusbuddha7-story.html (accessed 7 October 2022).
-
Interfax. 2020. “Putin soobshchil o perenose aktsii ‘Bessmertniy polk’ na sleduyushchiy god.” 20 July 2020, available at: https://www.interfax.ru/russia/718173/ (accessed 7 October 2022).
-
Kahn, J. 2000. “The parade of sovereignties: Establishing the vocabulary of the new Russian federalism.” Post-Soviet Affairs 16, 1: 58–89.
-
Kaiser, R. J. 1995. “Prospects for the Disintegration of the Russian Federation.” Post- Soviet Geography 36, 7: 426–435.
-
Kavkazskii Uzel. 2019. “Khasikov opravdalsia za naznachenie Trapeznikov na post glavy Elisty.” Caucasian Knot, 30 September 2019, available at: https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/340693/ (accessed 19 November 2022).
-
Kavkazskii Uzel. 2020a. “Reaktsiia ‘Edinoy Rossii’ na slova Shtygasheva stala povodom dlia novoy aktsii v Kalmykii.” Caucasian Knot, 21 February 2020, available at: https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/346179/ (accessed 7 October 2022).
-
Kavkazskii Uzel. 2020b. “Lidery trekh fraktsiy Narodnogo khurula obvinili Khasikova v nesposobnosti upravliat’ respublikoy.” Caucasian Knot, 2 October 2020, available at: https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/354837/ (accessed 7 October 2022).
-
Kazkazskii Uzel. 2021. “Kalmytskie deputaty ne dopuscheny na sessiyu parlamenta Khakassii.” Caucasian Knot, 27 January 2021, available at: https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/359135/ (accessed 7 October 2022).
-
Koch, N., ed. 2016. Critical geographies of sport: Space, power and sport in global perspective. New York: Taylor & Francis.
-
Koesel, K. J. and Bunce, V. J. 2012. “Putin, popular protests, and political trajectories in Russia: A comparative perspective.” Post-Soviet Affairs 28, 4: 403–423.
-
Kommersant. 2022. “Mer Elisty Dmitriy Trapeznikov stanet zampredom pravitel’stva Kalmykii.” 15 February 2022, available at: https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/5216813 (accessed 12 October 2022).
-
Konitzer, A. and Wegren, S. K. 2006. “Federalism and political recentralization in the Russian Federation: United Russia as the party of power.” Publius: The Journal of Federalism 36, 4: 503–522.
-
Krasno, A. 2022. “‘Degradatsiia vlasti v Rossii’: byvshiy glavar’ ‘DNR’ stal vitse-prem’yerom Kalmykii.” Kavkaz.Realii, 17 February 2022, available at: https://www.kavkazr.com/a/degradatsiya-vlasti-v-rossii-byvshiy-glavarj-dnr-stal-vitse-premjerom-kalmykii/31708088.html (accessed 12 October 2022).
-
Lankina, T. 2015. “The dynamics of regional and national contentious politics in Russia: Evidence from a new dataset.” Problems of Post-Communism 62, 1: 26–44.
-
Lankina, T. V. 2018. Russian protest event dataset. Available at: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/90298/ (accessed 7 October 2022).
-
Lanskoy, M. and Suthers, E. 2013. “Putin versus civil society: Outlawing the opposition.” Journal of Democracy 24, 3: 75–87.
-
Lapidus, G. W. 1999. “Asymmetrical federalism and state breakdown in Russia.” Post-Soviet Affairs 15, 1: 74–82.
-
Laruelle, M., Alexseev, M., Buckley, C., Clem, R. S., Goode, J. P., Gomza, I., Hale, H. E., Herron, E., Makarychev, A., McCann, M., Omelicheva, M., Sharafutdinova, G., Smyth, R., Sokhey, S. W., Troitskiy, M., Tucker, J. A., Twigg, J., and Wishnick, E. 2021. “Pandemic politics in Eurasia: Roadmap for a new research subfield.” Problems of Post-Communism 68, 1: 1–16.
-
Mirovalev, M. 2021. “Is Russia’s defence chief emerging as Putin’s possible successor?” Aljazeera, 14 September 2021, available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/14/is-russias-defence-chief-emerging-as-putins-possible-successor (accessed 12 October 2022).
-
Mukhamedzhanov, B. 2017. “Moscow Leaves Tatarstan Speechless.” OpenDemocracy Russia, 8 December, available at: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/moscow-leaves-tatarstan-speechless/ (accessed 7 October 2022).
-
Myers, S. L. 2004. “Protest against regional leader.” The New York Times, 23 September 2004, available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/23/world/world-briefing-europe-russia-protest-against-regional-leader.html (accessed 7 October 2022).
-
Oates, S. 2013. Revolution stalled: The political limits of the Internet in the post-Soviet sphere. New York: Oxford University Press.
-
Radvanyi, J. 1992. “And what if Russia breaks up? Towards new regional divisions.” Post-Soviet Geography 33, 2: 69–77.
-
Reuter, O. J. and Szakonyi, D. 2015. “Online social media and political awareness in authoritarian regimes.” British Journal of Political Science 45, 1: 29–51.
-
RFE/RL. 2019. “Kalmyks protest appointment of former Donbas war veteran as acting mayor.” 13 October 2019, available at: https://www.rferl.org/a/kalmyks-again-protest-appointment-of-leading-former-donbas-war-veteran-as-acting-mayor/30214625.html (accessed 7 October 2022).
-
Robertson, G. B. 2010. The politics of protest in hybrid regimes: Managing dissent in post-communist Russia. New York: Cambridge University Press.
-
Robertson, G. 2013. “Protesting Putinism: The election protests of 2011–2012 in broader perspective.” Problems of Post-Communism 60, 2: 11–23.
-
Rodina, E. and Dligach, D. 2019. “Dictator’s Instagram: personal and political narratives in a Chechen leader’s social network.” Caucasus Survey 7, 2: 95–109.
-
Sharafutdinova, G. 2013. “Gestalt switch in Russian federalism: The decline in regional power under Putin.” Comparative Politics 45, 3: 357–376.
-
Smyth, R., Sobolev, A., and Soboleva, I. 2013. “A well-organized play: Symbolic politics and the effect of the pro-Putin rallies.” Problems of Post-Communism 60, 2: 24–39.
-
Smyth, R. and Turovsky, R. 2018. “Legitimising victories: electoral authoritarian control in Russia’s gubernatorial elections.” Europe-Asia Studies 70, 2: 182–201.
-
Stern, J. E. 1994. “Moscow meltdown: can Russia survive?” International Security 18, 4: 40–65.
-
Terbish, B. 2022. State Ideology, Science, and Pseudoscience in Russia: Between the Cosmos and the Earth. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.
-
Tsedenov, M. 2021. Abakan press konferentsiya Khakassiia (video), 25 January 2021, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bgtKYliRo0 (accessed 12 October 2022).
-
Uehling, G. 2004. Beyond memory: The Crimean Tatars’ deportation and return. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
-
Volkov, D. 2012. “Putinism under siege: The protesters and the public.” Journal of Democracy 23, 3: 55–62.
-
Williams, B. G. 2002. “The hidden ethnic cleansing of Muslims in the Soviet Union: The exile and repatriation of the Crimean Tatars.” Journal of Contemporary History 37, 3: 323–347.
| All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 171 | 171 | 12 |
| Full Text Views | 124 | 124 | 1 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 209 | 209 | 2 |
“Elista Is Our City”: Kalmykia’s 2019 Protests and Politics in Russia’s Republics
In: Caucasus SurveySearch for other papers by Edward C. Holland in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
Russia’s republics – 22 regions in the larger federation that are territorially defined and represent areas where non-Russian ethnic populations are concentrated – have been generally quiescent during the two decades of Vladimir Putin’s leadership. However, in 2019 Kalmykia was the site of protests against leadership changes in which locals had scant political voice. This paper focuses on the demonstrations in Kalmykia and provides a detailed account of the associated causes, motivations, and outcomes. The protests augur an increased awareness of the double marginalization of Russia’s minority groups, both politically and on the basis of nationality, in the country’s governance. This condition has notable implications given Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
| All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 171 | 171 | 12 |
| Full Text Views | 124 | 124 | 1 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 209 | 209 | 2 |