Mobilizing Law in Contemporary Russia: The Evolution of Disputes Over Home Repair Projects

Abstract:     
The article explores the relevance of law to the lives of ordinary Russians. Drawing on the discussion in six focus groups composed of Russians who had recently participated in home repair projects, the analysis traces their behavior using the “disputing pyramid” framework developed by Felstiner, Abel, and Sarat. Few of the homeowners were satisfied with the outcomes of their projects, but less than half made any sort of claim. Their belief that the substantive law would block their claims emerged as a more important explanatory variable than a lack of trust in judicial institutions due to corruption. The initial hypothesis that age (as a proxy for exposure to Soviet-era justice) would be a powerful predictor of behavior was not born out. The research suggests that gender and location may be more robust predictors.

Keywords: Contracts, Disputes, Housing, Informal norms, Legal culture, Russia

JEL Classifications: D74, D81, K12, K41, K42, N34, O17, P37

Working Paper Series