Soviet Leaders in Western Media Space
https://doi.org/10.24224/2227-1295-2022-11-9-143-162
Abstract
The results of the analysis of the USSR image in Western social media are presented. The novelty of the study lies in the use of the Global Database of Events, Language, and Tone in the analysis of the image of Soviet leaders in the Euro-Atlantic press. A review of messages that mention the names of the leaders of the USSR from January 1, 2017 to the present in the Western press has been completed. It is proved that the overall emotional tone of the narrative about the Soviet leaders in Western media is extremely negative. It is noted that French and German journalists, in comparison with Anglo-Saxon ones, more often write about Soviet history in a positive context. It is emphasized that the differences correlate with the quality of relations between Western countries and Russia, as well as the prospects for their improvement. It is shown that journalists, discussing the Soviet leaders, raise existential questions that are important for the Euro-Atlantic mass consciousness. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that the growth of media interest in the stories of rapprochement between the USSR and the West, as well as the emotionally positive transformation of the images of Soviet leaders in the media is considered as a condition and indicator of improving relations between Russia and the West.
About the Authors
I. V. SuslovRussian Federation
Ivan V. Suslov, PhD in Sociology
Saratov
D. S. Artamonov
Russian Federation
Denis S. Artamonov, PhD in History
Saratov
A. R. Faizliev
Russian Federation
Alexey R. Faizliev, PhD in Economics
Saratov
References
1. Belyaeva, K. V., Buranok, S. O. (2020). Images of Soviet Russia in US press publications in 1921—1922. Studia Humanitatis. International Electronic Scientific Journal, 1. Availa-ble at: https://st-hum.ru/content/belyaeva-kv-buranok-so-obrazy-sovetskoy-rossii-v-publikaciyah-pressy-ssha-v-1921-1922-gg (accessed 21.06.2022). (In Russ.).
2. Bernhard, M., Kubik, J. (2014). Twenty Years after Communism: The Politics of Memory and Commemoration. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 384 p. ISBN 978-0199375141.
3. Buranok, S. O. (2016). A Dangerous Ally: the image of the Soviet Union in the US press (May 1945). New and Recent History, 4: 191—197. (In Russ.).
4. Buranok, S. O., Levin, Ya. A. (2019). Soviet-German Non-Aggression Pact (1939) and “Red Menace” in USA Press Assessments. Nauchnyi dialog, 6: 275—289. DOI: 10.24224/2227-1295-2019-6-275-289. (In Russ.). (In Russ.).
5. Dushakova, I. S. (2019). Models of the description of the Great Patriotic War in the press of the Republic of Moldova. Bulletin of the Russian State University. Political Science series. History. International relations, 1: 139—150. DOI: 10.28995/2073-6339-2019-1-139-150. (In Russ.).
6. Eyerman, R., Madigan, T., Ring, M. (2017). Cultural Trauma, Collective Memory and the Vietnam War. Politička misao: časopis za politologiju, 54 (1—2): 11—31. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-13507-2-7.
7. Gamson, W. A., Modigliani, A. (1989). Media discourse and public opinion on nuclear power: A constructionist approach. American Journal of Sociology, 95 (1): 1—37.
8. Gitlin, T. (1980). The whole world is watching: Mass media in the making and unmaking of the new left. Berkeley; Los Angeles: Univ. of California Press. 327 p. ISBN 0-520-23932-6.
9. Grinev, A. V. (2022). History and historical memory as victims of political correctness (based on the materials of the INOSMI Internet portal). Clio, 4: 44—56. DOI: 10.51676/2070-9773-2022-04-44. (In Russ.).
10. Kinnebrock, S. (2015). Why Napoleon is exciting time after time: Media logics and history. Commercialised history: Popular history magazines in Europe. Frankfurt am Main; Berlin; Bern; Bruxelles; New York; Oxford; Wien: Peter Lang. 37—73. ISBN 978-3631657799.
11. Levin, Ya. A., Belyaeva, K. V. (2020). Soviet Russia as a victim: the formation of images in the periodical press of the USA. Bulletin of Humanitarian Education, 2: 56—60. DOI: 10.25730/VSU.2070.20.020. (In Russ.).
12. Pashkovskaya, T. G., Shestialtynova, E. V., Tokarev, E. V. (2019). “Gorbi — the man who changed the world”: the evolution of the image of M. S. Gorbachev in the English—language press (1985—1991). Manuscript, 9: 45—49. DOI: 10.30853/manuscript.2019.9.9. (In Russ.).
13. Scherer, K. R. (2010). On the rationality of emotions: or, when are emotions rational? Social Science Information, 3—4: 330—350. DOI: 10.1177/0539018411411018.
14. Scheufele, D. A. (2000). Agenda-setting, priming, and framing revisited: Another look at cognitive effects of political communication. Mass Communication & Society, 3: 297—316.
15. Stone P. J., Dunphry, D. C., Smith, M. S., Ogilvie, D. M. (1966). The General Inquirer : A Computer Approach to Content Analysis. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. 651 p. ISBN 978-0262690119
16. Surzhik, D. V., Buranok, S. O., Levin, Ya. A. (2019). The Siege of Leningrad in the assessments of the US press. Bulletin of the Volgograd State University. Episode 4: History. Regional studies. International relations, 1: 123—129. DOI: 10.15688/jvolsu4.2019.1.10. (In Russ.).
17. Tikhonova, S. V., Artamonov, D. S. (2021). Historical memory in social media. Saint Petersburg: Aleteya. 264 p. ISBN 978-5-00165-357-8. (In Russ.).
18. Veter, O. V. (2014). Gorbachev’s foreign policy in the assessments of the French press (1985—1991). Bulletin of the People’s Friendship University of Russia. The History of Russia series, 1: 127—133. (In Russ.).
Review
For citations:
Suslov I.V., Artamonov D.S., Faizliev A.R. Soviet Leaders in Western Media Space. Nauchnyi dialog. 2022;11(9):143-162. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24224/2227-1295-2022-11-9-143-162