Att vinna den narrativa kampen: En berättelse om Ryssland, strategiska narrativ och en alternativ världsordning

Sammanfattning: This thesis builds upon the recent literature criticizing the conceptual flaws and liberal bias of soft power studies. It will be argued that these shortcomings have resulted in a faulty understanding of soft power and a rejection of the possibilities of authoritarian soft power. It will also be contended that the rejection of authoritarian soft power has resulted in a fallacy portraying Russian soft power as non-existing or merely a matter of influence over the post-Soviet sphere. An assumption that clashes with recent evidence about the European far right's admiration of Russia. The aim of the thesis is to examine Russian soft power by adopting a new interpretive approach, understanding soft power as a matter of triumphing in the battle between competing narratives and establishing ideological hegemony. With this aim, Russian strategic narratives will be explored through a content analysis studying how they are reproduced in political debates of the European Parliament. The result shows that primarily the far left and right reproduced Russia’s strategic narratives. The narratives were in turn used by these groups to enhance their own strategic narratives and stance on topics such as national sovereignty and the establishment of a multipolar system.