Peer-reviewed articles The role of Russian soft power in promoting authoritarianism. Targeting youth in post-Soviet Central Asia

The paper aims to explore the practical application of “soft power” in “hybrid” countries. The analysis is based on the example of soft power-strategies developed and implemented by the Russian Federation in post-Soviet Central Asia throughout the last two decades. The overarching research questions of the paper are the following — what are the most interesting features of Russian soft power in the changing geopolitical conditions of the post-Soviet space? How does it address local youth to secure Russian domination in the region and ensure the sustainability of local political regimes? What is the future of Russian soft power and geopolitical influence in the region?

Published in the printed edition of Baltic Worlds BW 2023:3, 33-42
Published on balticworlds.com on August 23, 2023

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abstract

The paper aims to explore the practical application of “soft power” in “hybrid” countries. The analysis is based on the example of soft power-strategies developed and implemented by the Russian Federation in post-Soviet Central Asia throughout the last two decades. The overarching research questions of the paper are the following — what are the most interesting features of Russian soft power in the changing geopolitical conditions of the post-Soviet space? How does it address local youth to secure Russian domination in the region and ensure the sustainability of local political regimes? What is the future of Russian soft power and geopolitical influence in the region?

Keywords: Soft power, authoritarianism, Central Asia, the youth movement.

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  • by Oleg Antonov and Parviz Mullojonov

    Oleg Antonov Visiting researcher at the Centre for Baltic and East European Studies (CBEES), Södertörn University. He holds a PhD in political science. Parviz Mullojonov Is a Political Scientist, Senior Adviser of the International Alert office in Tajikistan and former Chairman of the Board of the Tajik branch of the Open Society Institute (Soros Foundation); one of the active country’s civil society activists since the middle of 90’s. Mullojanov is a former member of the Inter-Tajik Dialogue, a civic initiative during the civil war in Tajikistan and former member of the EUCAM (EU and Central Asia Monitoring) research group. He worked for various international agencies and organizations such as Human Rights Watch/Helsinki, UNCHR, UNDP and ADB. He received his PhD in Islamic studies at the University of Basel (Switzerland).

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