Social networks as a resource for the institutionalization of social movement (on the example of the conflict around garbage conflicts in the Arkhangelsk region)
One of the important aspects of the process of institutionalization of social movements is their legitimization. Public support by representatives of the elite of the movement's demands is an essential factor in legitimizing. This work is devoted to the analysis of the legitimization of the movement against the construction of landfills in the Arkhangelsk region in social networks. The conflict over plans to build landfills in the Arkhangelsk region has become one of the most serious conflicts in Russia in recent years. The study analyzed the extent to which representatives of the authorities of the Arkhangelsk Region and the Komi Republic supported the public environmental movement in the public space of the “VKontakte” social network, which arose in connection with plans to build landfills in the Arkhangelsk region. In general, the study showed that the public movement opposing the construction of landfills was able to achieve public support in social networks of a part of the local elite, primarily representatives of the parliamentary corps.