This essay aims to determine the prevalence of Neo-Eurasianist ideas in the Russian official political discourse be examining the Presidential Addresses to the Federal Assembly 2014, 2015 and 2016. Neo-Eurasianism is understood as a political ideology encompassing narratives, norms and policy suggestions. The study is conducted in two steps. Firstly, it interprets Neo-Eurasianism as conveyed by Aleksandr Dugin and develops an analytical scheme based on his ideas. Secondly, the prevalence of Neo-Eurasianist ideas in the Russian Presidential Addresses to the Federal Assembly 2014, 2015 and 2016 is thematically analysed within the established analytical framework. The study affirms a limited presence of Neo-Eurasianist ideas in the material. Normative notions concerning cultural plurality, a multipolar world order and Russia’s role in the world are present, whereas the underlying assumptions and subsequent policy suggestions cannot be fully affirmed. Contrary, Putin at occasion enacts the Neo-Eurasianist normative notions to articulate other policy suggestions than what Dugin’s ideas prescribe, e.g. counter-terrorism measures. This suggests that the Neo-Eurasianist discourse is used as a rationale to legitimize regime policies, a conclusion that has been drawn in previous studies as well. Regardless of motive, Neo-Eurasianist ideas seem to have taken a limited, but firm, hold in Russian official political discourse.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:uu-318650 |
| Date | January 2017 |
| Creators | Melin, Kristina |
| Publisher | Uppsala universitet, Statsvetenskapliga institutionen |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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