Authoritarian elections: The Russian case, 2011-2012

A series of changes from 2005 onwards have strengthened central control of the electoral process in postcommunist Russia to such an extent that (for some) they should more accurately be termed 'authoritarian elections' and placed together with those in the thirty to thirty-five states worldwide that have remained in the 'grey zone' between liberal democracy and naked dictatorship. Russia is a paradigm case: by far the world's largest country, a nuclear power and UN Security Council permanent member, and one of the world's most important energy suppliers.
Taking the elections of 2011-2012 as a case study, the project will provide the closest possible analysis of the entire process using qualitative as well as quantitative techniques. A large part of the funding will be devoted to two national representative surveys, to be conducted immediately following each election. In addition, there will be a series of focus groups designed to provide a perspective 'from below', framed in the words of the actors themselves and complementary to the aggregate evidence that is available through the surveys. Full use will in addition be made of printed and electronic sources (including those of the Central Electoral Commission itself), and of field visits.