Nation Branding and Digital Diplomacy: Understanding Russia’s Online Presence in Building its Image

Abstract

Foreign policy has evolved thanks to the digitization of the globe and new phenomena and trends emerging as this paper reads. New phenomena, such as digital diplomacy and nation branding were embraced by the conventional diplomacy in recent years to enable countries to promote image and maintain reputation in the international system. The purpose of this thesis is therefore to focus on these two notions in the context of Russia’s recent foreign policy. To this end, the paper shall offer background information and literature review to then apply the findings to the Russia’s case, thereby identifying the extent that the use of digital diplomacy and news media help facilitate Russia’s nation-branding and combat bias and false information targeting Russia. This research project, broken down into chapters, takes off by explaining the emergence and essence of digital diplomacy and its introduction in Russia’s foreign policy. Through a thorough review of existing literature, the chapters shall compile the ideas emanating from most of the previously written scholarly works to create a base for further research. A dedicated chapter shall focus on Russia as a case study and identify its efforts to promote soft power, use digital diplomacy and media in explaining its foreign policy, as well as counter false information, thereby managing its image within the international community. In doing so, it shall focus on success and failure of the image management efforts by illustrating how these activities are enforced and are reacted to (i.e., focus on posts published by the Russian Foreign Ministry and Russia Today on Facebook and the feedback they generate). Explanatory at its core, this paper uses content analysis and secondary research as its main methods. While the desk research helps understand the phenomena addressed, content analysis allows to study the essence of the online messages that the Russian Foreign Ministry communicates.