Abstract: This article discusses the conflictogenic potential of spontaneous vigilantism in third spaces. Vigilantism is associated with usurpation of the function of justice by unauthorized persons. Vigilantism can be institutionalized and spontaneous, which is related to disorganized participation of individuals in penalizing the violators of social norms. In the conditions of post-truth, the important role in the formation of vigilant discourse is played by the environments of everyday communication – the so-called third spaces. In the context of third spaces, communication is realized beyond the institutional field, i.e. political parties and social movements. Besides the interpersonal relations, the discussion of crucial social issues also takes place in third spaces, which requires assessment from the perspective of its conflictogenic potential. The novelty of this article is determined by the relevant theoretical aspects – analysis of the phenomenon of post-truth, public sphere, echo chambers and third spaces, as well as the authorial empirical research dedicated to the content of messages in third spaces of the social network Vkontakte. The study of spontaneous vigilantism employs the range of posts from the online community “Overheard” in 15 megacities for the past two years. The quantitative and qualitative content analysis revealed the key topics with a vigilant problematic, which were assessed through the prism of conflictogenic potential. The conclusions is made on the contradictory nature of spontaneous vigilantism in the Russian third spaces.

Keywords: post-truth, discourse, everyday discourse, social networks, vigilantes, conflict potential, third spaces, vigilantism, echo chamber, public sphere

Abstract: This article analyzes the technology of public communications practice known as provocative conflict. Provocative conflict is defined as media-based (media-presented) conflict that aims to provoke the opposing faction into actions that are against its best interests. The author condenses the specific targets of the conflict - radical change of recieved social norms, or the formation of new social practices, reputation harm to the opponent to win an advantageous position, and the formation of a publicity capital. Characteristics of this technology include media focus and provocative nature of the conflict. It is shown that media orientation of this conflict may considerably transform its flow, the mechanisms of its functioning and the outcomes of conflict interaction. The author studied and analyzed the three cases of provocative conflicts in the USA and Russia. The first conflict ("The Torch of Freedom") may be classified as commercial PR, the second one ("Punk prayer" by Pussy Riot) represents a case of political PR, while the third one ("Plagiarism conflict") maybe classified as show business PR (personal PR). The methodology of the study includes: -the activity approach which views PR as professional practices, aimed at establishing interaction between social subjects, as well as a method for controlling them. -the communicative approach which defines the mechanism of public communication practice functioning, subservient to the mechanism of mass media functioning and permitting to view this sort of conflict as a mass communication phenomenon. -a positive approach to conflict, which views conflict interaction not only as acceptable from the PR practices point of view, but also as one of an integral professional technology. The author reaches the conclusions that provocative conflict as a part of PR practice represents a neutral social communication technology. Conditions for its development and media integration are also outlined. In order to understand the mechanisms of provocative conflict development the author examines the model of contrast-assimilation illusion of perception, which explains the polarized opinions and the escalation of conflict. The author shows that, within the provocative conflict, mass-media starts to play the role of the third side of the conflict, its interests not always aligning with the conflicting parties.    

Keywords: Punk-prayer, Torch of Freedom, communication technology, publicity capital, contrast-assimilation illusion, mass-media, media integration, reputation, public relations, provocative conflict