Modern forms of protest: raising the issue

The aim of the article is to analyze contemporary forms of protest activity. In the process of studying the theoretical and methodological approaches to this subject, we refer to scientific views of researchers such as V. A. Yadov, A. Zaitsev and others. The article analyzes the main factors influencing the processes of emergence and development of protest movements. Such factors can include socio-humanitarian, socio-psychological and socio-economic. It is noted that in the modern world, along with traditional forms of protest: meetings strikes, pickets, and demonstrations, experts define the so- called spectacle forms: flash mobs, happenings, performances, which are becoming more widespread in modern society. The characteristics of contemporary forms of protest highlight their distinctive features and main advantages. Today, when the role of information and communication technologies and social networks is becoming more important, a new type of protest activity - virtual protest - is added to the spectacular forms of protest in social interaction. The article notes that modern forms of protest activity are more widespread in the regions with high population density and with a significant proportion of the younger generation in it. The study of contemporary forms of protest is still at an early stage and it is theoretical to a greater extent. So far, there have been no major sociological studies on the subject; and, accordingly there are no detailed statistical data. The article includes the surveys of the centers for the study of public opinion (VTsIOM, FOM, Levada Center) on the social and protest moods of young people. The author notes that the subject of the protest activity of the population is represented quite extensively in scientific publications of the Institute of Socio-Economic Development of Territories of RAS. Research on this topic is usually divided into two areas: analysis of theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of social protest, and empirical research. The article analyzes the dynamics of protest potential of young people in the Vologda Oblast in 2008-2014, which is based on correlation with negative evaluations of various aspects of personal and public life. The penetration of new technologies of protest in the majority of Russia’s regions, including the Vologda Oblast, is at an early stage; however, the rate of diffusion of innovation is very high, and we should expect a much broader use of this tool of political confrontation and a channel of political mobilization at a new stage of political development. The author concludes that the data of public opinion polls help not only to monitor the dynamics of protest potential of the population and its formation factors, but also provide an opportunity to predict the transformation of protest potential into active protest actions, which plays a crucial role in the regulation of social tension in society.