Journal of Regional Security

Analogical reasoning: historical parallels and metaphors in the 2022 war narratives in Ukraine and Russia

Yuliia Kurnyshova — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 23:50:57 +0200

Analogical reasoning is a discursive strategy often used by decision- and policy-makers, think tankers, academics, and cultural producers to either justify actions or learn lessons from references to events in the past. This comparative essay conceptualizes the drastic distinction between the functioning of analogical reasoning in Russian and Ukrainian discourses during the current war. The author argues that the asymmetry between the two modes of analogical reasoning is glaring when it comes not only to the interpretation of history, but also to the drastically dissimilar emotional modalities, understandings of ontological security and rationality, justice and many other concepts shaping Ukraine’s and Russia’s international agency.

SEMIOTIC GAMES AND DOMESTIC GEOPOLITICS: ESTONIAN RUSSOPHONES DURING THE WAR IN UKRAINE

Andrey Makarychev — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 23:51:29 +0200

This contribution to the Forum analyzes narratives unfolding among Estonian Russian speakers who expose different attitudes towards the war in Ukraine. Empirical material comes from several media platforms and public figures whose speaking positions are representative and typical for – and duly reflect – the broad spectrum of the current Russophone discourses in Estonia. Three distinct yet interconnected discursive positions that prominently feature in the Russophone milieu – pragmatic, popularly geopolitical and counter-normative - are singled out and discussed.

Europe’s Russia-friendly parties put to the test by Putin’s invasion of Ukraine

Stefano Braghiroli — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 23:51:58 +0200

Russia's attack of Ukraine lunched in February 2022 has turned the Kremlin into a political pariah. Traditionally Russia-friendly parties are increasingly faced with the dilemma of how to deal with new Russia's image and how to frame the war in Ukraine. Since the Kremlin has been traditionally engaging in a multi-channel trans-ideological communication with both radical left and far-right, the two extremes of the political continuum appear equally affected. This piece will discuss and critically assess strategies and short-term tactics as well as attached narratives of such parties both at the national and European level. Specific attention will be devoted to the cases of Italy, France, and Germany.

Do ostriches live in Central Europe?

Aliaksei Kazharski — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 23:52:26 +0200

In terms of studying discursive normalization of the Russo-Ukrainian war the Visegrád Four (V4) present us with a stimulating case for regional comparisons. On the one hand, there are obvious intra-regional differences that are rooted in specific identitary legacies and the resulting strategic cultures, which can come into a sharp clash, as they did for example in the case of the public Polish-Hungarian split over the 2022 invasion. Against this background, however, there are also telling points of convergence that arguably have to do with the structural position of the V4 in the European international order and the related historical experience.

Ukraine's Agency in Japanese Discourse

Sanshiro Hosaka — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 23:53:03 +0200

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has highlighted the problems of the Japanese academic discourse on Ukraine. This essay has two purposes. First, it describes how Russia’s invasion has altered Tokyo’s official policies and public discourse by driving away Russian disinformation and propaganda narratives while articulating the multiple chasms among academics regarding Ukraine and Russia. Second, it highlights the embedded assumptions commonly seen in many researchers dealing with post-Soviet space: Russia-centered ontology (e.g., “Ukraine is a periphery of Russia”, “fraternal nations”) and anti-hegemonic epistemology that blames the collective West for “Russophobia.”

Non-Western Responses to Russia’s War in Ukraine

Radityo Dharmaputra — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 23:53:32 +0200

The full-scale Russian invasion on February 24^th has brought diverse responses in different parts of the world. While the so-called “Western” world responded with strong condemnation, sanctions, and military helps, the “non-Western” world responded more cautiously and hesitantly. Using Indonesia, the current chair of G20 and one of the leading voices in the developing countries, this study traces the diverse narratives of Indonesian political elites and public intellectuals on how to interpret the war in Ukraine, the relationship between Russia and the “non-Western” world, and the NATO factors. Specifically, this contribution looks at how the lack of knowledge about Russia and Ukraine (and Eastern Europe in general), coupled with the strong anti-Western sentiment, has created a more pro-Russian sentiment in the Indonesian narratives about the war.

Brazil Between Global Recognition and Neutrality over the Russian War Against Ukraine

Clarissa Tabosa — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 23:53:58 +0200

This contribution investigates what explains Brazil's narrative of neutrality in times when neutrality means support for Russia. Brazil’s neutrality narratives can be seen as a consequence of the economic interests of the Brazilian agrobusiness, highly dependent on Russian fertilizers, but also due to its historical tradition of diplomatic neutrality. However, neutrality seems to clash with Brazil’s self-conceptualization of its identity as a relevant player on the international level, especially since the 2000s. Furthermore, I reflect on the implications of Brazil’s narratives following the election of Lula da Silva for Brazil and on how LA might position itself in the near future as this war continues.

Introduction to the Forum on Putin’s Understanders, Russia’s Normalizers: Discursive Palettes Beyond the East–West Divide

Andrey Makarychev — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 09:57:28 +0200

This Forum focuses on a variety of discourses that in one way or another “understand” and normalize the logic of Putin’s war against Ukraine. These discourses have different epistemologies – some of them might simply reproduce Russian propagandistic cliches, while others are embedded in – and adjusted to – specific national contexts; some of them emanate from political milieus, while others have academic pedigrees. Of particular interest for the reader is a comparative frame of the Forum that gives floor to European and non-European perspectives on the topic that at some point resonate, engage, and communicate with each other. The authors discuss social and cultural conditions that produce professional and vernacular narratives sympathetic to or compatible with the Russian officialdom, and deploy them in different theoretical contexts – from neorealist to post-colonial.

Migration motivations of internally displaced people: The view from Homs

Sara Gibarti, Dániel Solymári — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 14:34:05 +0200

The Syrian conflict led to a countrywide realignment in both territorial and demographic traits with catastrophic consequences for the population. More than 6.6 million people were forced to leave their homeland, and a further 6.7 million became Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Lately a subsequent consolidation of the population ensued which witnessed a partial self-repatriation of IDPs. Here, we report the preliminary results of a study to explore migration motives in the framework of the repatriation aid programme provided for these IDPs. The programme is jointly coordinated by the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Homs and the Hungary Helps Program, in and around the city of Homs. Moreover, we provide an overview of the geographic territory covered by the programme, and of the relevant events of the conflict which affected IDPs from the region. Key results from our analysis include the observation that individual experiences of traumatisation and deterioration of social status are major contributing factors that fuel resettlement. Our work casts valuable light on the triggers of internal migration and timely guidance to ongoing struggles and newly emerging conflicts such as that of Ukraine in 2022.

The Tale of Two Empires

Bohumil Doboš — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 12:05:28 +0200

The political developments in Ukraine in the past two decades can be analyzed from numerous perspectives. This article highlights the systemic geopolitical outlook. By conceptualizing Ukraine as being located between two qualitatively different types of empires – the EU and Russia – it uncovers some of the systemic causes of the escalation of the Russian incursion into Ukrainian politics. It concludes that as long as the Westphalian empire overestimates its hard-power capabilities, the neomedieval alternative presents a more viable enlargement strategy.

English Langan, Mark. 2017. Neo-Colonialism and the Poverty of ‘Development’ in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, 253 pp. $29.95 (Softcover)

Griffin Stibor — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 15:11:14 +0200

Correction: “(En)acting our experience: Combat veterans, veteranality, and building resilience to extremism,” (2022, Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 267−292)

Tijana Recevic — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0200

PUTIN’S UNDERSTANDERS, RUSSIA’S NORMALIZERS: DISCURSIVE PALETTES BEYOND THE WEST – EAST DIVIDE

Andrey Makarychev — Tue, 16 Jan 2024 09:54:51 +0100

This Forum focuses on a variety of discourses that in one way or another "understand" and normalize the logic of Putin's war against Ukraine. These discourses have different epistemologies – some of them might simply reproduce Russian propagandistic cliches, while others are embedded in – and adjusted to - specific national contexts; some of them emanate from political milieus, while others have academic pedigrees. Of particular interest for the reader is a comparative frame of the Forum that gives floor to European and non-European perspectives on the topic that at some point resonate, engage, and communicate with each other. The authors discuss social and cultural conditions that produce professional and vernacular narratives sympathetic to or compatible with the Russian officialdom, and deploy them in different theoretical contexts – from neorealist to post-colonial.