ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates how civic activists in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) respond to crises. More specifically, it looks at how two crises – Russia’s war on Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic – have generated formidable obstacles for activists, compelling them to find new ways to organize and respond to citizens’ needs. Featuring activists working in the significantly different political and social contexts of Ukraine, Russia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina who have stepped up during the worst of times to assist their citizens reveals the motivations and strategies, including the use of horizontal networks, that have contributed to the remarkable resilience and agility of CEE activists.
