Russophobia by Glenn Diesen
This book defines Russophobia as the irrational fear of Russia, a key theme in the study of propaganda in the West as Russia has throughout history been assigned a diametrically opposite identity as the “Other.” Propaganda is the science of convincing an audience without appealing to reason. The West and Russia have been juxtaposed as Western versus Eastern, European versus Asiatic, civilized versus barbaric, modern versus backward, liberal versus autocratic, and even good versus evil. During the Cold War, ideological dividing lines fell naturally by casting the debate as capitalism versus communism, democracy versus totalitarianism, and Christianity versus atheism. After the Cold War, anti-Russian propaganda aims to filter all political questions through the simplistic binary stereotype of democracy versus authoritarianism, which provides little if any heuristic value to understand the complexities of relations. A key feature of propaganda against the inferior “Other” is both contemptuous derision and panic-stricken fear of the threat to civilization. Russia has therefore throughout history been allowed to play one of two roles—either an apprentice of Western civilization by accepting the subordinate role as the student and political object, or a threat that must be contained or defeated. While propaganda has the positive effect of promoting unity and mobilizing resources toward rational and strategic objectives, it can also have the negative effect of creating irrational decision-making and obstructing a workable peace.
Glenn Diesen is a Professor at the National Research University - Higher School of Economics in Moscow, and an editor at the Russia in Global Affairs journal. His research focuses on the socio-economics of Greater Eurasia and the emerging strategic partnership between Russia and China.
Alexander Lukin is Director of the Centre for East Asian and Shanghai Cooperation Organization Studies, at Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO-University), Head of Department of International Relations and International Laboratory on World Order Studies and the New Regionalism at National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia, and Chair Professor in the School of Public Affairs of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Alexander Lukin is Director of the Centre for East Asian and Shanghai Cooperation Organization Studies, at Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO-University), Head of Department of International Relations and International Laboratory on World Order Studies and the New Regionalism at National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia, and Chair Professor in the School of Public Affairs of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9789811914676 |
| ISBN 10 | 9811914672 |
| Title | Russophobia |
| Author | Glenn Diesen |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Springer Verlag, Singapore |
| Year published | 2022-05-24 |
| Number of pages | 316 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |