Foreign Policy of Russia: ‘Soft Power’ of the Regions. Moscow University Bulletin of World Politics. 2021;13(1):32-57. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.48015/2076-7404-2021-13-1-32-57
ISSN 2076-7404
DOI 10.48015/2076-7404-2021-13-1-32-57
As relations between the Russian Federation and the West continue to deteriorate, traditional diplomatic instruments become less eff ective. Conversely, the role of alternative diplomatic channels is growing. However, the Russian foreign policy still tends to underestimate their potential. In particular, the soft power potential of the Russian regions appears to be largerly under-utilized. The paper starts with a general overview of the specifi c features of sub-state/sub-national actors in the world politics. In particular, the author emphasizes that these actors are synthetic by nature, which predetermines their particular role on the international scene, as they can use policy instruments specifi c to both state and non-state actors. The author provides a model for classifi cation of the Russian regions based on the level of their international activity. The paper examines by what means the international activities of the regions can infl uence the interstate relations and outlines two basic frameworks for joint actions of the federal center and the regions on the international arena: ‘culture and image-building’ and ‘political plus’. The author emphasizes the importance of the federal-regional cooperation in addressing foreign policy issues, particularly, in response to international crises. The paper assesses the capacity of diff erent Russian sub-national actors to actively participate through their soft power potential in normalization of interstate relations. The author concludes that this potential could be successfully integrated into the Russian foreign policy strategy. However, in order to improve the quality of the federal-regional cooperation on the foreign policy issues, it is necessary to develop a new framework for interaction between the federal center and the regions of the Russian Federation, based on greater involvement of regional representatives in the decision-making process (which implies reassessment of the entire system of federal relations).
The research has been accomplished with a fi nancial support from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project № 20-04- 60109.
Keywords: sub-state actors | sub-national actors | soft power | intrastate regions | foreign policy of Russia | federalism | paradiplomacy | foreign relations of regions |
Russian Science Citation Index
OTHER PUBLICATIONS ON THIS TOPIC
Prokhorenko Irina
Субнациональные элиты как субъекты трансформации политического пространства Европейского союза [Текст] / И.Л. Прохоренко // Политическая наука. – 2014. – № 2. – С. 108 – 126.
Kharitonova Elena
British soft power: comparative analysis of instruments, mechanisms and practices
Shawlai Ellina, Kirichenko Irina
India: International Scientific and Technical Cooperation
Rustamova Leili
The mechanism of "soft power" implementation and the limits of its use
Avatkov Vladimir
Fundamentals of the Foreign Policy of the Republic of Azerbaijan at the Present Stage
USA–China: the Struggle of Two Strategies and Practices of World Leadership / Vartazarova L, Kobrinskaya I., eds. – Moscow, IMEMO, 2018. – 65 p.
Prokhorenko Irina
Autonomous Communities of Spain in the Political Space of the European Union / Prohorenko I.L.
Zimakov Andrei
Clean energy transition in EU and the crisis in european coal regions
Avatkov Vladimir
Турция сегодня: Ключевые тенденции в политическом курсе [Текст] / В. А. Аватков // Свободная мысль. – 2019. – № 2 (1674). – С. 141-146.
Chugrov Sergey , Oznobishchev S.
Russia and Japan. Part II. View from Russia
Rustamova Leili, Frolov M.E.
Формирование международного имиджа: опыт Германии и России [Текст] / Л. Р. Рустамова, М. Е. Фролов // Политика и общество. – 2018. – № 5(162). – С. 25-31. DOI: 10.7256/2454-0684.2018.5.26195.
Bakhriev B., Rustamova Leili
Soft Power of a Military Organization: NATO’s Public Diplomacy in Central Asia
Gadzhiev Kamaludin
О тотализации войны в гибридном измерении [Текст] / К. С. Гаджиев // Власть. – 2019. – № 3. – С. 9-19. DOI: 10.31171/vlast.v27i3.6396.
Rogozhina Natalia
«Мягкая сила» в политике Китая в странах Юго-Восточной Азии [Текст] / Н.Г. Рогожина // Юго-Восточная Азия: актуальные проблемы развития. – 2017. – № 34. – С. 24-33.
Artamonova Uliana
Эволюция институтов российской публичной дипломатии [Текст] / У. З. Артамонова // Россия и Америка в XXI веке. – 2019. – № 3. – DOI: 10.18254/S207054760006903-0. – URL: https://rusus.jes.su/s207054760006903-0-1/.
Frolov Alexander
Политика США в меняющемся мире [Текст] / А.В. Кортунов, А.В. Фролов // Международная жизнь. – 2015. – № 11. – С. 5 – 26
Semenenko Irina
Political Identity and Identity Politics / Semenenko Irina S.
Rogozhina Natalia
«Мягкая сила» в политике Китая в странах Юго-Восточной Азии [Текст] / Н.Г. Рогожина //Вестник теоретических проблем = Bản tin Những vấn đề lý luận (Phục vụ lãnh đạo) [на вьетнамском языке]. – 2018. – № 1. – С. 44-49.
Kharitonova E.M. The soft power of the United Kingdom. – Moscow, IMEMO, 2018. – 139 p.
Kardava Nikolai
Киберпространство как новая политическая реальность: вызовы и ответы [Текст] / Н. В. Кардава // История и современность. – 2018. – № 1-2. – С. 152-166. DOI: 10.30884/iis/2018.02.03.
Related publications
No comments