This thesis examines Russia’s national security policies and objectives by strictly focusing on the role of Russia and the strategic use of diaspora politics in Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia. The research specifically emphasises the emergence of the Russian diaspora as an instrument of power and specifically assesses the strategic use of diaspora politics and the varied relationships existing between the Kremlin and the diaspora Diasporas do not only represent sociological or economic phenomena, these formations are also political and redefine the notions of sovereignty, power and national identity that permeate world politics. In the current geopolitical environment, sovereign states need to find new ways of enhancing their influence locally, regionally and internationally. Consequently, it is worth considering the impact of these socio-political formations as national security actors, and as worthy subjects of attention in the field of security studies. By focusing on Moscow’s view and the examples of Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia, the purpose of the thesis is threefold. Firstly, it will demonstrate the pertinence of diaspora politics as an element of the international security logic by proposing a framework that emphasises a realist interpretation of diaspora politics highlighting the use of diasporas as tools of power politics. Secondly, it will determine in what ways Moscow has shaped its diaspora as an instrument of power in the Commonwealth of Independent States exploiting both ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ power resources resulting in the establishment of ‘ethnic’ and ‘legal’ relationships with compatriots abroad. Thirdly, it will emphasise the continuities and changes of diaspora politics from Boris Yeltsin to Dmitri Medvedev. This thesis highlights the extent to which the Russian diaspora has either been ignored, treated as an asset or treated as a liability depending on the evolution of Russia's national strategic interests and circumstances between 1991 and 2010.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:577675 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Creators | Le Noan, Rachel |
| Publisher | University of Aberdeen |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://digitool.abdn.ac.uk:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=196198 |
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