Presented here is a comprehensive analysis of the Russian Twitter strategy in the Russia-Ukraine war, based on sampling and from the perspective of framing theories. This bachelor thesis documents the analysis of Russia's Twiplomacy in the Russia-Ukraine war concerning the framing approach. For this purpose, the posts of a selection of seven Russian government profiles on Twitter are examined over a period of five months. Examining Russian Twiplomacy provides a deeper understanding of its function. This study contributes to our understanding of the use of social media as a tool for strategic communication. The concrete implementation of the Russian strategy and the adjustments to the changing situation should be evident from the study material. The analysis of frames offers the possibility of recognizing the intention of the communicators. That offers opportunities to counteract influence and to identify communication goals for further clarification and negotiation.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Research questions
3. Theory
3.1. Twiplomacy & strategic communication
3.2. Framing-Approach
3.2.1. Different framing techniques
3.2.2. Narrative framing
4. Current research status
5. Methods
5.1. Data collection
5.2. Data analysis
6. Findings
7. Conclusion
8. Bibliography
9. Appendix: Category system
Research Objectives and Core Topics
This thesis investigates how Russia's strategic communication is implemented through the use of framing on Twitter during the Russia-Ukraine war, aiming to identify specific communication frames and understand their development over time.
- Examination of Russian government communication strategies on Twitter.
- Application of framing theory and narrative analysis to political messaging.
- Qualitative content analysis of selected Russian official profiles.
- Comparative analysis of frames across different phases of the conflict.
- Investigation of the relationship between narrative structures and framing techniques.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2.1. Different framing techniques
Therefore, some framing techniques should be mentioned at this point. Value framing uses values that are important for the target group and targets them in the framing. Value frames not only influence values and how problems are perceived or judged, but they also contribute to the consolidation of one's views. They lead to a greater willingness to participate. Decades of framing research have made it clear that the framing of a political statement with values has a significant influence on how it is perceived by the public. Framing effects occur relatively independently of the underlying facts. Mostly, the effect is rather determined by whether a value is available to the recipients that are consistent with the respective message (Chong & Druckman, 2007). Thus, it has also been shown empirically that frames that have been enriched with the values of the target group are usually particularly influential (Andrews et al., 2017).
Frame amplification works by reinforcing the frame through its representation based on important sub-elements. Slogans are often used to the foreground, highlight, and reinforce sub-aspects. In addition, frame amplification would often be used when support is called for a cause whose beneficiaries are very different from the people in the target group (Oswald, 2019, p. 63-66).
Emotional framing directs the frame to activate emotions. When such a frame effect occurs via emotional activation, the triggered emotions are transferred to the issue with their meaning content, as they are directly coupled with the frame (Kühne 2013). Thus, emotions triggered by frames can be projected directly onto a topic. The effect of this type of frame is particularly relevant because emotions have a great influence on decision-making in everyday life for every person - especially when it comes to social issues. Furthermore, the stronger the activation, the stronger the influence on decision-making, and the more controversial the topic, the stronger the emotional activation (Kühne 2013, Lecheler et al. 2015). Oswald (2019, p. 67) points out that the activation of specific emotions can be used to control opinion-making in a very targeted way.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and introduces the role of strategic communication and digital diplomacy via Twitter.
2. Research questions: Defines the core objective of understanding how Russia's strategic communication is implemented and sets the two primary research questions for the analysis.
3. Theory: Establishes the theoretical framework, detailing the concepts of Twiplomacy, strategic communication, framing approaches, and narrative analysis.
4. Current research status: Discusses existing literature concerning Russian strategic communication, information warfare, and the role of historical narratives in the conflict.
5. Methods: Describes the methodology, including the qualitative content analysis design, the selection of Twitter profiles, and the data sampling process.
6. Findings: Presents the results of the analysis, classifying identified communication frames and mapping them to overarching narrative structures across different time periods.
7. Conclusion: Summarizes the study's conclusions, linking findings back to the research questions and suggesting potential avenues for future research.
Keywords
Twiplomacy, Strategic Communication, Framing, Russia-Ukraine war, Twitter, Narrative Analysis, Qualitative Content Analysis, Digital Diplomacy, Political Communication, Content Framing, Information Warfare, Public Diplomacy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this thesis?
The thesis examines the strategic use of communication by the Russian government on the platform Twitter during the escalation of the conflict with Ukraine.
What are the primary thematic fields addressed?
The work focuses on diplomatic communication (Twiplomacy), framing strategies applied by political actors, and the construction of political narratives.
What is the main objective or research question?
The research explores how Russian strategic communication is concretely implemented, specifically asking which communication frames are used and how their use differs over time.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author uses qualitative content analysis, applying Entman's framing components for category building on a sampled corpus of tweets.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers the theoretical foundations of framing and diplomacy, a literature review of Russian media strategy, the systematic sampling of Twitter data, and an evaluation of frames and narratives.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Essential keywords include Twiplomacy, strategic communication, framing, public diplomacy, and qualitative content analysis.
Why was Twitter chosen as the focal point for this analysis?
Twitter is identified as a critical venue for digital diplomacy, where political actors attempt to influence international discourse and shape interpretations of current events.
How does the author handle the risk of bias?
The author acknowledges potential bias in sources (such as those from NATO) and attempts to maximize objectivity through systematic sampling and transparent, theory-based category building.
What is the significance of the narrative framing?
Narrative framing provides the superstructure for individual frames, allowing the Russian government to weave complex, historically-informed stories—such as those involving "fascism" or "brotherly nations"—into daily political communication.
- Quote paper
- Varuna Mattis Venker (Author), 2022, Russian Twiplomacy in the Russia-Ukraine war. Frames and narratives as strategic communication, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1274043
