ABSTRACT
Some of the most visible, original, and geographically extensive recent movements and initiatives in Russia, across the political spectrum, cannot be accurately described as either bottom-up or top-down. They are copycat movements, in that the initial idea for a new type of public activity spreads quickly across numerous locales with minimal organisational effort on the part of those who originated it. This chapter analyses three such movements, chosen because they exhibit structural similarities, even though their ideological background, objectives, and popularity differ widely: the Strategy-31 protests for the freedom of assembly; the ultra-nationalist temperance movement known as the Russian Runs; and the commemorative processions titled Immortal Regiment. War commemoration is one of the main areas of collective action and civic activity in the post-Soviet world. Personalization has been an important part of the Immortal Regiment's appeal.
