Public Opinion and International Security: Identity, Media, and Influence in Central Asia and Eastern Europe

Session Submission Type: Panel

Brief Description

This panel investigates the complex relationship between public opinion and international security, with a regional focus on Central Asia and Eastern Europe. The panel looks at top-down and bottom-up mechanisms that involve major powers and smaller states and affect regional security. Understanding how individuals within these states perceive global events, external actors, and regional security threats can offer valuable insights into the broader geopolitical landscape. The papers presented in this panel explore the evolution of individual attitudes in Central Asia, particularly in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The panel delves into the ways in which ethnic identities intersect with geopolitical events, shaping public attitudes toward major powers and regional security frameworks. It also examines the impact of news media—both state-controlled and independent—on public perception, exploring how narratives about Russia’s actions, Western responses, and local political developments influence attitudes across different demographic groups. This panel investigates China’s and Russia’s strategic use of soft power, focusing on how technology and memory politics is employed to cultivate influence. By invoking historical narratives, cultural ties, and shared historical experiences—such as Soviet-era alliances and the legacy of Slavic solidarity—Russia seeks to shape public sentiment and maintain a foothold in the region. This discussion contributes to a broader understanding of how historical memory serves as a political tool in contemporary international relations and its implications for regional stability.

Sub Unit

• International Relations, Security Studies, Foreign Policy

Chair

• Scott Radnitz, U of Washington

Papers

• Ethnic Identity, Language, and Support for Major Powers: A Study of Public Opinion in Central Asia - Valery Dzutsati, Augusta U

• The Ukraine Effect: Evolving Perceptions of Russia, China, and the West in Central Asia - Hannah Chapman, U of Oklahoma

• Illiberal Integration: Russia, China, and the Role of Information Control Technologies in Central Asia's Securitized Regionalism - Seonhee Kim, Seoul National U (South Korea)

• Memory and Mythmaking: Russian Sharp Power in Bulgaria - Dessie Zagorcheva, CUNY

Discussants

• Bakhytzhan Kurmanov, U of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan)

• Pauline Jones, U of Michigan