Respondent

Rozik Mariia Vasylivna

Theme

Mobilization factors of electoral participation of the citizens of Ukraine in parliamentary elections in 1998-2019.

Defence Date

27.01.2021

Annotation

The paper explains the theoretical approaches to the essence of political mobilisation, the nature, forms and orientation of mobilisation factors that activate the electoral participation of citizens. On the basis of the analysis of conceptual models and approaches of electoral participation (sociological, social-psychological,    rational-instrumental, political-communicative, contextual (cognitive), resource-based approaches etc.) It was established that modern political systems combine the autonomous and mobilised participation of citizens at the ratio caused by the specific character of the society and its political culture.

The theoretical approaches concerning an understanding of essence of political mobilization, the nature, forms and orientation of the mobilization factors of activation of electoral participation were substantiated. It was found that the electoral behaviour depends on the factors that define the electoral participation and mobilize to action, and namely: belonging of the individual to a certain social group, psychological differences of the individual, identification with a certain party, economic factors (personal financial position and economic situation in the country), the influence of mass media. In countries experiencing social and political transformation, the electoral advantages are dramatically changing, are of situational, latent or insidious nature at all.

The methods were generalised and the main scientific approaches in the sphere of analysis of the electoral behaviour and electoral participation were defined. The structure, content and directions of improvement of the legal and regulatory framework of electoral process at the parliamentary elections in Ukraine were characterised. The institutional structure and procedures of participation of citizens in parliamentary electoral processes were explained. A special attention was paid to the type of electoral system, ideologies of political parties, their nature as well as the participation in non-government organisations.

The specific character of the use of mobilisation technologies and their effectiveness at the elections to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in 1998–2019 was identified. it was found that the transformation of Ukrainian political market has contributed to enrichment of number of electoral technologies that immobilized voters for political participation. Among them: the use of manipulative technologies in media and communication means (manipulations of intimidation, manipulations of hopes and voters’ values), the spread of targeted technologies, speculations around regional differences, publications of untrue sociological ratings, “cloning” of parties and creation of “the doubles” for individual candidates, the use of administrative resources, the technology of “cutting” the districts etc. It indicates a symbiosis in Ukraine of existing world election tendencies that are eventually centred about the fight of technologies and specific personalities where the fuzziness of legal standards (legislative regulations) allows the development of destructive technologies that are legal by the form but amoral by the content.

It is substantiated that the globalized processes and rapid spread of information exchanges have caused the development of new forms and practices of political activity. The Internet has changed the participation of citizens by creating new opportunities for formation of modern mass political behaviour. The traditional forms of electoral political participation have been changed by direct actions of citizens in the form of petitions, manifests, open debates, blogging. A particular importance in the electoral processes was acquired by such virtual manifestations of political behaviour as astroturfing, flash mobs, submission and registration of petitions, virtual voting, and spreading demotivational posters and media viruses. At the same time, the invention of new forms of political activity has created modern means of political management and influence, which are characterized by repression of real public opinion. This is why, in the near future, further changes in application of election technologies, standards, procedures, mechanisms of election process are to be expected.

Key words: political participation, electoral behaviour, electoral participation, electoral mobilization, mobilization technologies, elections to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, election campaign.

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