Sairambay offers a useful study of political participation among youth in Russia and Kazakhstan. A native speaker of both languages with access to focus groups and survey facilitators in both countries, Sairambay gets close to the ground to better understand how, why, and to what extent citizens between the ages of 18 and 29 are active in domestic politics. The book starts slowly with an excessive literature review, but the discussion becomes more interesting when Sairambay turns to his own findings. He confirms the long-suspected belief that, compared to their elders, young people rely predominantly, if not exclusively, on digital media for information about national politics, and that urban residents are better networked than rural ones. More novelly, Sairambay discusses the difference and relationship between "political engagement" (following, reading, sharing, liking) and "political participation" (voting and joining in grassroots movements and demonstrations). Contra cyber pessimists, he contends that even seemingly innocuous political engagement equips young people with a "political tool kit" that increases the potential for more direct participation. He ends on a more speculative note: even within regimes characterized by "networked authoritarianism," youth political (and oppositional) engagement will continue to grow. Recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty; professionals.

Choice Reviews

For scholars today with one eye on current events in Eurasia, they might do very well, so to speak, to have the other eye fixed on this rising young researcher, Yerkebulan Sairambay, the author of this present volume. This is a truly fascinating work which opens up innovative aspects of this under-studied area. Sairambay is a bi-lingual scholar (Russian and Kazakh), with an immaculate track record in terms of the quality and freshness of his research, and without doubt, this book will become essential reading for all those with an interest in this field. Sairambay does not put a foot wrong from start to finish, and he is to be warmly congratulated for this new achievement.

Margaret Tejerizo, University of Glasgow

This book significantly increases our understanding of the youth and their new media usage in the post-Soviet space, especially in Kazakhstan and Russia. It also greatly expands our knowledge of political mobilisation dynamics in these settings.

Ayse Zarakol, University of Cambridge

This is an important book for anyone interested in political participation and social media use in Russia and Kazakhstan. This book’s comparative and vigorous methodological focus makes it a great read for anyone interested in these processes. This is an ideal book for students of political developments in the region and anyone interested in how social media influences political developments today. Yerkebulan Sairambay offers a fresh outlook and does an excellent work in weaving all of the narratives together.

Diana T. Kudaibergenova, University of Cambridge