Promoting Russia abroad: Russia's post-Cold war national identity and public diplomacy

As the Soviet Union fell, the ideological glue that was the source of national unity and identity was no longer present in post-Cold War Russia. Recently, however, Russia has made attempts to redefine itself in the post-Cold War world, establish a new national identity, and project it to the world. Russia's exercise of public diplomacy and soft power differ starkly from most Western countries, as the Russian approach is defined by a top-down, centralized nature that emphasizes a nationalist message to its target audiences. The Russian approach has been marked by a tendency to locate and mobilize sympathetic Russian diaspora populations, but an aversion to building networks among those who do not presently share Russia's foreign policy goals. This approach has led to significant limitations on Russia's ability to persuade foreign publics and build new partnerships. Such tendencies are especially evident through an examination of Russia's public diplomacy in Ukraine, where attempts are made to mobilize Russian diaspora communities, while other potential audiences are diminished. This paper argues that the inherent contradictions, limitations, and divisive nature of Russian public diplomacy are especially evident in the case of the Crimean annexation and inhibit Russia's ability to influence and persuade non-Russian audiences.