This chapter examines the role of identity in the Belarusian pro-democracy movement’s public diplomacy since the start of the 2020 electoral campaign. Drawing a social constructivist take on public diplomacy, it examines how civil society actors of Belarus challenge and subvert the regime-promoted narratives of national identity in their engagement with foreign audiences. It does so by, first, discussing the role of the Belarusian opposition in rearticulating and, in some cases, rejecting the Lukashenka regime’s narratives of identity in their communication with foreign publics. Second, the chapter shows how the pro-democracy movement attempts to present alternative identity narratives, designed to influence, persuade, and mobilize support from foreign stakeholders. Engaging with narrative analysis, we show that there is a visible shift in identity claims and narratives promoted by the Belarusian pro-democracy movement before and after the escalation of the Russian war in Ukraine. The chapter further examines foreign perceptions of these narratives throughout the two outlined periods, thereby demonstrating that public diplomacy is a product of continuous renegotiation of collective identities with third actors.

错误:搜索内容不能为空,请输入英文关键词
错误:关键词超出字数限制,请精简
高级检索

Belarus’ Pro-Democracy Movement as a Public Diplomacy Actor: Identities and International Engagement

  • Aliaksei Kazharski,
  • Katsiaryna Lozka,
  • Alesia Rudnik

摘要

This chapter examines the role of identity in the Belarusian pro-democracy movement’s public diplomacy since the start of the 2020 electoral campaign. Drawing a social constructivist take on public diplomacy, it examines how civil society actors of Belarus challenge and subvert the regime-promoted narratives of national identity in their engagement with foreign audiences. It does so by, first, discussing the role of the Belarusian opposition in rearticulating and, in some cases, rejecting the Lukashenka regime’s narratives of identity in their communication with foreign publics. Second, the chapter shows how the pro-democracy movement attempts to present alternative identity narratives, designed to influence, persuade, and mobilize support from foreign stakeholders. Engaging with narrative analysis, we show that there is a visible shift in identity claims and narratives promoted by the Belarusian pro-democracy movement before and after the escalation of the Russian war in Ukraine. The chapter further examines foreign perceptions of these narratives throughout the two outlined periods, thereby demonstrating that public diplomacy is a product of continuous renegotiation of collective identities with third actors.