Transnationalization of Forest Governance
(2008-2011)

Coordinators: Jarmo Kortelainen (University Joensuu, Finland) and Maria Tysiachniouk (CISR).
The aim of the project is to investigate how multilevel forms of governance in transnational networks develop new models of forest utilization in the north of Eurasia. The project analyzes the following forms of governance: the nodes of governance design, multi-level forums, interethnic and local networks. The research focuses on FSC certification (Forest Stewardship Council technology), as well as on global systems of control over legality of timber harvesting, and is being conducted in Finland, Russia, and some western countries. The research is based on theories of globalization, management theories, and geographical network theories.
Participants from CISR: Ivan Kulyasov, Antonina Kulyasova, Svetlana Tulaeva, Maria Tysiachniouk.
Supported by the Academy of Sciences of Finland.

Self-organizing in Traditional and Modern Sustainable Communities
(2008-2010)

Joint project with the Russian Ecovillage Network, Cooperation program in the sphere of sustainable development and environmental management (St. Petersburg State University), NGO "Pomor Revival".
Coordinator: Ivan Kulyasov (CISR).
The project is based on a study of sustainable traditional and modern communities (the case of the Pomor villages and ecocolonies). It analyzes the reasons and practices of self- organization, the role of environmental ethics, and traditions of inexhaustive nature management. Methods: case study, including the analysis of documents and websites analysis of interviews and narratives, and participant observation. The illustrated analytical material may be used in ecological education. A number of articles and tutorials were prepared based on research findings.
Participants from CISR: Ivan Kulyasov, Antonina Kulyasova.
Initiative project.

Trust in Finnish-Russian Forest Industry Business Relations
(2008-2010)

Joint project with the University Joensuu (Finland).
Coordinators: Soili Nysten-Haarala (University Joensuu, Finland) and Maria Tysiachniouk (CISR).
The project deals with an empirical study of the trust potential as a business-strategy. It aims to analyze to what extent the investing in social and environmental aspects of forest exploitation and the creating of a company's positive image impact its economic parameters. Methods used in the project are: case study and comparative analysis. Research is conducted in territories rented by the company Stora Enso (Karelia, Leningrad region), Kuemmene and Tomesto Metsolito (Leningrad region).
Participants from CISR: Antonina Kulyasova, Ivan Kulyasov, Svetlana Tulaeva.
Supported by the Academy of Sciences of Finland.

The Challenge of Forest Certification for Multinational Companies in Russia
(2008-2009)

Joint project with the Helsinki School of Economics.
Coordinators: Maria Tysiachniouk (CISR), Riitta Kosonen (Helsinki School of Economy).
This project is a study of strategies used by the Finnish companies when starting business in Russia. Particular attention is paid to political problems encountered by the companies in the post-socialist period, as well as to relatively new problems connected with global management of nature resources and with a pressure from international and Russian NGOs. A Finnish-Swedish company, Stora Enso, was chosen for the case study: the company's enterprises in the Russian territory and its head office in Finland are being studied. Methods of research are: interview and participant observation.
Participant from CISR: Maria Tysiachniouk.
Supported by the Academy of Siences of Finland.

An Interdisciplinary Network for the Study of Multi-Level and Multi-Stakeholder Forest Governance in Russia and Sweden
(2007-2009)

Joint project with the Umea University (Sweden).
Coordinators: Karina Keskitalo (Umea University) and Maria Tysiachniouk (CISR).
The purpose of the project is to create a Russian-Swedish interdisciplinary research network for the study of different aspects of multilevel and multi-stakeholder forest governance. Network members are expected to work out recommendations for decision-makers. The project contributes to the analysis of transboundary non-state management systems and aims to foster a new partnership between Russian and Swedish scholars who are studying the processes of globalization and non-state governance of forests, focusing on the role of civil initiatives in these processes.
Researchers use the method of comparative analysis. Within the project are included the following activities: coauthoring in writing papers, organization of joint workshops, participation in an international conference, exchange trips to Sweden and Russia, exploration of Swedish and Russian fields of research.
Participants from CISR: Ivan Kulyasov, Antonina Kulyasova, Svetlana Tulaeva, Maria Tysiachniouk.
Supported by the Swedish Academy.

Fostering Effective Partnerships Among Russian and North American FSC Experts, Activists and Social Scientists
(2007-2009)

Coordinators: Maria Tysiachniouk (CISR), Connie McDermott (Yale University, USA).
The project is aimed at developing a network of institutions and activists involved in forest certification issues in Russia and the USA. The case studies within this comparative research project were devoted to timber enterprises in the Russian Far East - areas that have recently started forest certification through the Forest Stewardship Council system (Lesexport, JSC "Primorsky GOK", Roschinskii timber enterprise), and to logging companies in the State of Vermont (USA) which had undergone FSC certification. The project includes the analysis of interrelations among stakeholders, with special attention given to the indigenous peoples' rights (Udygei). Methods: focus-group, interviews, and participant observation.
Participants from CISR: Antonina Kulyasova, Svetlana Tulaeva, Maria Tysiachniouk.
Supported by the Trust for Mutual Understanding (USA).

Making Democracy Work: Building Capacity of Ordinary Citizens in Russian Rural Settlements
(2007-2009)

Joint project with the NGO "SPOK" (Karelia), Etas (Arkhangelsk), EcoCenter (Tikhvin).
Coordinator: Maria Tysiachniouk (CISR).
The project follows the development of participatory democracy in forest settlements, while also promoting public awareness of rights and opportunities provided by the Russian legislation and global governance processes (such as forest certification). The project also aims to train the inhabitants of forest settlements in building partner relations with timber enterprises for joint decision-making in forest management. Methods: sociological intervention, round tables, focus-groups, consulting of stakeholders. The project is being carried out in the towns and forest settlements of the Leningrad and the Arkhangelsk regions, and the Republic of Karelia - the rented territories of the companies PLO Onegales, Segezha PPM, Sturo Enso, and, UPM Kummene.
Participants from CISR: Ivan Kulyasov, Antonina Kulyasova, Svetlana Tulaeva, Svetlana Pchelkina.
Supported by EIDHR (European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights).

Movement for Alternative Living Styles: Everyday Practices of Ecovillage Inhabitants
(2007-2008)

Joint project with "Ecovillage Grishino", Russian Ecovillage Network.
Coordinator: Ivan Kulyasov (CISR).
The project dealt with the study of ecological discourse and practices in a global and local context, using the case of ecovillages in Russia. Methods employed were: the analysis of documents and websites, participant observation, and case-study. Researchers comparatively examined ecocolonists' alternative life strategies and analyzed the construction of ecological compatibility and resources consumption as concerns townspeople, peasants and ecovillage inhabitants. The study was finalized in an article and a tutorial.
Participants from CISR: Ivan Kulyasov, Antonina Kulyasova.
Initiative project.

Russian and European Nature Reserves: AљComparison of Regimes of Control over Territory
(2006-2008)

Nature conservation prohibits theљexploitation of most precious territories and rouses conflicts between locals and conservationists. There are 3љmain types of control over territory in nature reserves: (1)љbalanced control (absence of transgressions based on consensus on legitimacy of conservation, practiced in European nature reserves), (2)љstrong control (absence of transgressions based on locals' deprivation of their rights, postcolonial countries) and (3)љweak control (constant transgressions, Russia). Theљregime of weak control damages theљconservation process. Theљtransition to theљbalanced control is desirable, though theљdanger exists to establish theљunfair strong control. Theљtask of theљproject is to construct anљanalytical concept of balanced control, which will describe theљnecessary conditions for its establishment. Theљcomparison of cases from different social and natural environments of Russia, European and postcolonial countries will give anљopportunity to study mutual interrelations between variables determining theљtype of control. TheљRussian reserves were not studied by social scholars. By elaborating theљconcept of balanced control over territory, theљproject will help to work out theљconcrete proposals for theљreorganization of theљpark services in Russia.
Researcher: Tatiana Safonova.
Supported by theљINTAS (Young Scientist Scholarship).

Transnational Social Movements
(2006-2008)

Theљproject analyzes market campaigns as aљspecial form of social movements. In such campaigns social movement organizations use market forces in order to influence corporate behavior. They mobilize consumers to organize consumer boycotts against theљcorporations. Consumer boycott is used both to influence corporate behavior and consumer behavior. During theљcampaigns corporations are under pressure and simultaneously consumers receive information on theљimpact of their consumption practices on theљenvironment and social well being, in case they buy products from theљharmful company. Theљproject analyzes theљphenomenon of political consumerism and how political consumerism is used in social movements. Empirical material was collected on theљcase study of saving old growth forests in Karelia.
Researcher: Maria Tysiachniouk.
Initiative project.

TheљRole of Civil Society in Fostering Corporate Social Responsibility within theљRussian Forest Sector
(2006-2007)

Coordinator: Maria Tysiachniouk.
Theљaim of this project is to evaluate theљrole of civil society in fostering corporate social responsibility, in particular, transparency, accountability, and social and environmental responsibility of Russian forest industry. Theљproject analyzes how civil society actors use forest certification as aљmechanism to foster corporate social responsibility and to determine what other mechanisms, not related to forest certification, Russian civil society uses to promote responsible business operations. Other goal is to study how specific Russian contexts impact successes and failures of civil society actors. Theљproject evaluates what practices of corporate social responsibility are explored by Russian forest producers, why they use these particular practices and who are theљactors that stimulate corporate social responsibility. Theљproject compares theљrole that civic initiatives play in stimulating corporate social responsibility when: a)љlocal civic initiatives are developing naturally; and b)љwhen local civic initiatives are purposely initiated, supported and moderated by aљregional NGO, which is attempting to build aљmodel of sustainable forest management.
Participants: Maria Tysiachniouk, Ivan Kulyasov, Antonina Kulyasova, Svetlana Pchelkina.
Supported by theљMoscow Public Science Foundation (MPSF).

TheљStudent Environmental Movement in Russia and China
(2006-2007)

Coordinator: Svetlana Pchelkina.
This project compares student environmental movements active within two authoritarian regimes: Russia, 1960-1970, and China at theљbeginning of theљ21stљCentury. Theљproject considers their similarities and differences. TheљVolunteer Brigades for Nature Protection (Dobrovol'nye druzhiny po okhrane prirody - DOP), which tried in Russia in theљ1960s to exert pressure as Komsomol (Young Communist League) and VOOP (Russian Society for Environmental Protection) onlookers, is being compared with student groups, educated under theљKomsomol in China since theљyear 2000. Theories of institutional isomorphism are being taken as means to explain theљphenomena of reciprocal attitudes within organizations in totalitarian systems. Furthermore, O.љYanitsky's concept of generative environments is being used. Archive materials have been used to research theљDOP. Research into student movements in China has been conducted by means of interviews and participant observation. Anљarticle has been prepared as aљresult.
Participants: Maria Tysiachniouk, Svetlana Pchelkina.
Initiative project.

Sociology of Transnational Processes
(2005-2008)

Theљaim of theљproject is to contribute to development of social theory of transnational processes. In order to understand multilevel governance on theљWorld scale and theљrole of social movements in non-state governance Dr.љMaria Tysiachniouk discusses theљconcept of theљ"space of place" and "transnational spaces". Theљdiscussion on this topic have been started by Manuel Castels who distinguishes "theљspace of place" and "theљspace of flow". Kastels understood theљspace of flow as cyber space that was enabled by new technologies. Contrary to Castels, Maria Tysiachniouk under "transnational space" understands theљflow of ideas, information and so called "theљnodes of governance design." Under theљnode of governance designs she means different kind of actors in transnational spaces that through their interaction elaborate aљcertain product-design, in theљform of international convention, agreement, agenda, or international standards. Theљnode of governance design includes not only actors yet theљprocesses of elaboration of new discourses, meanings, and concepts that appear in theљprocess of interaction. Theљproject studies theљinteraction between theљNGOs and theљnodes of governance design.
Researcher: Maria Tysiachniouk.
Supported by theљCISR and theљWageningen University (theљNetherlands).

Motivating the Transition from Mixed Trash Collection to Trash Separation (St. Petersburg)
(2005-2006)

Project of the GreenPeace Russia (St. Petersburg branch).
Coordinator: Alla Bolotova (CISR).
The research is being conducted at the request of the Russian division of the international NGO, GreenPeace, with the goal of revealing the possibilities for strengthening the organisation's campaign to introduce of the separation of garbage in St. Petersburg. The research methods are focused interview and focus-groups.
Participants from CISR: Alla Bolotova, Lubov Ejova.
Supported by the GreenPeace Russia.

Moving Northwards in theљUSSR: Influence of theљWWII
(2005-2006)

Coordinator: prof. Ilmo Massa (Department of Social Policy, University of Helsinki).
This project is part of theљlarger research dealing with influence of theљWWII on development of theљNorthern Zone on theљglobal scale. Professor Ilmo Massa is working on series of articles on this issue. Alla Bolotova was assisting to him and analyzed internal expansion of theљSoviet Union during theљWWII and theљfollowing years, when mining, oil industry, hydropower energy and infrastructure were intensively developed due to war influence.
Participant from CISR: Alla Bolotova.
Initiative project.

Rural and Urban Foot Print
(2005-2006)

Coordinator: Antonina Kulyasova.
The aim is to make comparative analysis of differences between practices of citizens of cities, towns, villages, ecovillages. Methods: analysis of literature, interviews, participant observation during expeditions in villages, ecovillages.
Participants: Ivan Kulyasov, Antonina Kulyasova.
Initiative project.

Shaping the Landscape: Processes of Modernisation at the Russian North-West
(2005-2006)

Joint project with the Lulea University of Technology (Sweden) (with participation of the Ethnology Department of the European University at St. Petersburg).
Coordinator: Alla Bolotova (CISR).
This project aims to integrate the CISR group into the existing international network called "The Modernisation Process in the Barents Region" and to establish research cooperation between CISR and Swedish partners from the Department of Business Administration and Social Sciences at the Lulea University of Technology. Several mutual research visits have been planned, in the context of which a series of research seminars will occur. Furthermore, the Petersburg project participants will be able to take part in the conference, "The Modernisation Process in the Barents Region," to be held in Arkhangelsk and Petrozavodsk.
Participants from CISR: Alla Bolotova, Dmitry Vorobyev, Elena Nikiforova, Tatiana Safonova, Maria Tysiachniouk.
Supported by the Swedish Institute (The Visby Programme).

Soviet "Hydraulic Utopias" in the World Context
(2005-2007)

"Hydraulic utopias" - Soviet projects of the radical transformation of nature and climate, such as divering north-flowing rivers to the south, changing the direction of flow of the Gulf Stream with the goal of melting the ice of the Arctic - are a thing of the past. At the same time, in the contemporary world the agenda of the day is addressing the problem of climatic catastrophe - global warming (or cooling) - and new large-scale projects for the restoration of climatic conditions are being proposed. The goal of this project is to reconstruct the discussions surrounding the utopian projects under authoritarianism and in the conditions of an open society. The research materials: fantasy novels and films, press, popular-scientific and technical literature.
Researcher: Dmitry Vorobyev.
Initiative project.

The Governance of Renewable Natural Resources in Northwestern Russia
(2004-2007)

Joint project with the University of Lapland and the University of Joensuu (Finland).
Coordinators: Soili Nysten-Haarala (University of Lapland, University of Joensuu), Maria Tysiachniouk and Antonina Kulyasova (CISR).
The goal of the project was to analyse the transformations in the management of the renewable natural resources, forests and fish, which have been taking place in Russia at local, regional and national levels. Special attention was devoted to:
1) in forestry - the processes of certification in the system of the FSC and FLEG, sustainable forestry and forest management; 2) in fishing - the problems of fisheries and the fishing industry. The focus of the research: 1) life changes in forest settlements in connection with the localisation of the global process of forest certification; 2) a comparison of traditional and contemporary nature management techniques of the Pomors. The method: case study. Field research was conducted in Moscow, in the Vologda region (Vologda and Belozersk, Kadnikovskyi settlement), in the Arkhangelsk region (Arkhangelsk, the Dvinskoi settlement, Maloshuika settlement and Purnema settlement), in Murmansk, and in Finland.
Participants from CISR: Ivan Kulyasov, Antonina Kulyasova, Svetlana Pchelkina, Maria Tysiachniouk.
Supported by the Academy of Finland.

Ecological Modernization in Russia
(2002-2007)

Aљgoal of theљproject is to analyze theљmechanism and practices of theљecological modernization in Russia. Aљcomparative theoretical analysis of theљdifferent scientific approaches is held. Methods are: interviews, participant observation, case study, analysis of documents. Theљresults are theљmonograph, articles in scientific journals, presentations on theљseminars and conferences.
Researcher: Ivan Kulyasov.
Initiative project.

Environmental Conflicts and Direct Democracy
(2002-2007)

The project aims to study the mechanisms of interaction between the public and the authorities in eco-politics, and the evolution of these mechanisms from a social-historical perspective since the beginning of the 1980s in the USSR/Russia. The change in legislation and practices of local protest referenda were analysed in detail. In the course of analysis the following tasks were defined: to track the dynamics and thematics of referenda; to analyse the reasons for their initialisation; to uncover the factors determining the success or failure of referenda and how the result gives value to the institution of direct democracy in Russia. The research was initialised as development of the project "Environmental Impact Assessment System and the Practice of Public Participation in the Russian Federation" (2002- 2004, supported by the Volkswagen Foundation).
Researcher: Dmitry Vorobyev.
Initiative project.

Environmental Movement in Russia: Politics of Everyday Life
(1999-2007)

This dissertation explores the process of environmental behaviour code formation in the discourse of the Russian environmental movement. In Russia, ideas about environmentally friendly practices are formed mainly in the milieu of environmental movement participants. Participation in the environmental movement is considered from the everyday-life analytical perspective. On the basis of New Social Movements theories and Giddens' theory of structuration, a theoretical- methodological approach is being developed that is relevant for analysing the everyday-life dimension of environmental protests. The process of new cultural code formation in Russia and the influence of globalisation on post-Soviet culture will be analysed.
Researcher: Alla Bolotova.
Initiative project.

The Sea and the Societies. Approaches to the Environmental History of the Baltic Sea
(Since 1991)

Project of the University of Helsinki (Finland).
This is an international multidisciplinary project on environmental history dealing with the environmental history of urban water pollution and protection in the Baltic Sea region in the 19th and the 20th century. This project devoted to a systematic study of the history of environmental politics, sciences and technology. The aim has been to understand the formation of contemporary environmental problems and solutions which have their roots in the past. The project includes the following topics for each city (including St. Petersburg): a) the long-term development of water and wastewater technology; b) the reconstruction of pollution and eutrophication histories; c) successes and failures of municipal environmental politics.
Participant from CISR: Alla Bolotova.
Supported by the Academy of Finland.

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