Dynamic factors influencing the formation of Russia's image in the perception of German youth

Mayorov Il'ya Evgenyevich Senior Lecturer; General Academic Faculty; Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration Postgraduate student; Institute Institute of Social Sciences; Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration 124365, Russia, Moscow, Zelenograd, Razumovsky str., K2308A, sq. 61 ilyamayorov@yandex.ru

Introduction. The image of a State in the international arena is an important aspect of its foreign policy and interstate interactions. The formation of Russia's image in Germany is a complex process caused by many factors, among which, in the most general form, historical relationships, economic relations, cultural exchange and the success of political contacts can be distinguished. It is the factors that influence the formation of the image of Russia in the eyes of German-speaking youth that have become the subject of our comprehensive study, including our attempt to consider these factors in dynamics.

In this article, we will present some of the results obtained and form a range of problems that require both scientific and practice-oriented understanding and resolution. Russian Russian culture The purpose of our research is to set a list of semantic slots and dynamic factors on the basis of which the image of modern Russia, the Russian language, and Russian culture is formed in the perception of Western youth, with the aim of further creating a concept for modeling an effective image of Russia abroad in modern political and economic conditions.

Researchers who describe the factors influencing the formation of the external image of the state, for the most part, assert the importance of an integrated approach – the factors should be considered in their interrelation and interdependence, and most importantly – in historical retrospect and in the context of social, economic and political events.

Before considering the specifics of Russia's image structure abroad in the first third of the 21st century, let's present the time periods of historical, cultural and political processes that influenced the perception of our country's image in the world at the end of the last century: these events are widely heard by the youth of both countries (Russia and Germany). As a working periodization, we suggest using the following:

1 – the era of the collapse of the USSR and the first years of independence of the "new Russia" (1991-1999).

The events that influenced Russia's position in the international arena include the August 1991 coup, the economic crisis of 1998, the collapse of the ruble, military operations in Chechnya, the period of total privatization and a number of other reforms by E.T. Gaidar and B.N. Yeltsin, the transition to a market economy and a change of government regimes, etc. All of them occurred during the presidency of Boris Yeltsin, whose authority in the international arena was not high (for more information, see: Zaets S.V. History of Russia. The 21st century. Chronicle of the main events: an educational and methodological guide. Yaroslavl: YarGU, 2017. p. 48).

And if in the early and mid-90s the Western community treated Russia more or less favorably, by the end of the decade this mood had been replaced by wariness, which was dictated by a number of events: "the decommissioning of SS-18 missiles, Russia's exceptionally weak position on Yugoslavia, Russia's accession to the anti-Serbian UN resolution, the indiscriminate conversion of the domestic defense industry" [Zheglova, 2015; 2018].

2 – the period of formation of the "new Russia" as an independent power (2000-2008).

This is a period of active internal reforms, when Russia concentrated more on domestic politics. Administrative and electoral reforms were carried out, and the territory of Russia was divided into districts. A number of economic reforms and transformations have been carried out aimed at restoring the economy, increasing the country's GDP, and increasing citizens' incomes.

The position of the official government was gradually strengthening, and the coefficient of trust in it was growing. By the end of the period, attempts were being made to restore the international authority of the country's leadership and improve its image under the leadership of V.V. Putin, as Western analysts also wrote (Smale A. Russia’s Leaders Are Different It’s the People Who Are the Same // The New York Times. 2002. Jan. 6.), and Russian scientists (Yuriev A.I. The image of the country in the context of globalization // Round table "The Image of Russia: new Context", St. Petersburg, Grand Hotel Europa, Tchaikovsky Hall, November 14, 2003.). According to Y.G. Zheglova, "the formation of the image of Russia abroad was raised to the level of state tasks in the early 2000s" [Zheglova, 2015]. Work gradually began on creating an external image, including through Western PR campaigns, the first of which was the media coverage of the G8 summit in St. Petersburg in 2006, when "a contract was signed with the American PR agency Ketchum, a subsidiary of the global advertising giant Omnicom Group Inc." (in more detail, Zlobin A. (2009). Peregruzka for presidents // SmartMoney. № 8). The experience was quite successful: Ketchum received an award from PRWeek magazine "for the best global PR campaign of the year" and a Silver Anvil award from the American Society for Public Relations.

3 – the period of D.A. Medvedev's presidency (2008-2012).

Dmitry Medvedev's presidential term was marked by a number of difficult events – the military operation against Georgia in support of South Ossetia, the completion of political and military reforms initiated in the previous period, the modernization of the economy, the implementation of a new anti-corruption strategy, the construction and launch of the Skolkovo innovation development center, etc. (for more information, see: Zayets S.V. History of Russia. The 21st century. Chronicle of the main events: an educational and methodological guide. Yaroslavl: YarGU, 2017).

It is impossible to deny the influence of major international events on the perception of Russia in the world. For example, it is significant that the Russian authorities have recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, although these states are still not recognized by most European countries. The difficult victory at the international Eurovision Song Contest 2008 showed a real attitude towards the country. I.S. Semenenko writes about these and other events of the era and their impact on the image of Russia in his research [Semenenko, 2007].

In August 2012, negotiations on Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization were completed, which lasted about 20 years, starting in 1993. On the one hand, joining an international organization has not led to significant changes in domestic performance. Although, of course, from that moment on, Russia gained access to new opportunities (reduction of duties on international markets, active participation in resolving trade disputes in the WTO court). One of the scientific papers explicitly states that the advantages of Russia's accession to the WTO should include "improving the country's image as an equal participant in world trade" [Vdovina, Dautova, 2013: 681].

4 – the period of marked cooling of relations between the Russian Federation and Western countries and the United States (2012-2022).

During this period, events took place that contributed to the polarization of the world community and laid the foundations for an ambivalent attitude towards Russia. In particular, the annexation of Crimea to Russia in 2014 should be recognized as such an event, in response to which the European Union and the United States began to impose the first packages of sanctions against the Russian Federation [Russia and the World, 2023].

N.P. Narbut and I.V. Trotsuk define modern geopolitical realities as an "era of new changes", "which was launched by events of diverse content (the coup d'etat in Ukraine, the entry of Crimea into the Russian Federation, the migration crisis and terrorist attacks in Europe, military conflicts in the Middle East, Britain's withdrawal from the The European Union, Catalonia's claim to state sovereignty, etc.), which influenced the global political "agenda" and the institutional configuration of international actors" [Narbut, Trotsuk, 2011: 109].

The military operation in Syria, which began in 2015, also became a significant event for Russian foreign policy and "significantly affected Russia's political image in the East and West" [Ozmanyan, 2019: 125].

Describing this stage, Professor V.V. Kochetkov concludes that the image of modern Russia contains two groups of components – positive and transitional [Kochetkov, 2020: 106-107]. The first should include natural resources, the power of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the position and authority of the country's leader, and a communicative and political strategy; the second should include the model of democracy, national identity, social policy strategies, and position in the international arena. The researcher notes the special role of President Vladimir Putin's position in international trust ratings (2nd place in the Forbes 2018 ranking of influential people). It is obvious that due to the changed situation and the deployment of a special military operation since the beginning of 2022, this situation, if it persists, is not demonstrated in open world sources of mass communication. In addition, in the world ranking of military power for 2019, Russia is ranked second after the United States [ibid: 108].

However, as noted by V.V. Kochetkov, Doctor of Sociology, Russia is significantly losing out to both the United States and European countries in implementing programs to purposefully shape the country's image in the international arena: until a certain time, such a task was not even set. A positive trend has emerged since 2005, when the Russia Today channel was created and its communication and strategic policy in the international arena was thought out. Since that time, the active use of Russian and pro-Russian foreign media and information technologies in the purposeful formation of a positive image of our country has begun.

The author also conducted his own sociological research and came to the conclusion that the 2014 Sochi Olympics and the 2018 FIFA World Cup had a positive impact on the perception of Russia's image in the world [ibid.: 120-124].

In general, many authors associate this cooling period with the consequence of the implementation of the foreign policy plan of Russia, the United States and a number of European countries, as well as with the unfolding of a series of international conflicts (events in Ukraine, EU sanctions packages against officials and citizens of the Russian Federation).

5 – the modern period of rebuilding the new independent role of the Russian Federation in the international arena and the stage of strengthening traditional values (2022 – present).

Of course, the turning point is considered to be the event officially called the "special military operation of the Russian Armed Forces" against Ukraine, which intensified several packages of economic sanctions against Russia by European countries and the United States.

A recent study by MGIMO Rector of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia A. Torkunov and his colleague Professor D. Streltsov states that the combination of the above-mentioned external events has partly shifted the focus to solving internal problems. In particular, the issue of the country's cultural and civilizational identity was actualized [Torkunov, Streltsov, 2023]: "Traditionally, the Russian political discourse was dominated by the point of view, according to which assimilation of the Russian Federation with one of these macro–regions (European or Asian - author's comment) was not envisaged. It has always been emphasized that Russia, due to its historical path and geographical location, has a unique socio–political culture that is neither European nor Asian. Therefore, the turn to the East was considered mainly in the political, diplomatic and economic, but not in the civilizational dimension" [ibid.].

The issue of socialization of youth, the formation of national identity, fostering a sense of patriotism, and belonging to the state has also become relevant [Omelchenko, Lisovskaya, 2022].

The presented periodization is a conditional construct that will allow us to demonstrate the dynamics of interrelated and interdependent two sets of phenomena: historical, social, and cultural processes that took place within the country – the image of Russia in the world.

Today, the future of Russian-German relations in the context of Russia's image seems ambiguous and depends on many factors, both external and internal. One of the key tasks for improving the perception of Russia may be to strengthen trust between the countries through joint projects in the field of ecology, energy and technology. These areas are not only important for the two countries, but can also serve as a platform for convergence of positions in the international arena.

Methods and approaches. The article is theoretical and analytical in nature, and therefore methods such as theoretical analysis, synthesis, systematization, and abstract presentation were used. The article also includes a fragment of the experimental results processing, which is based on a survey, elements of content analysis, elements of mathematical analysis and rating.

The results of the study. Our research consisted of two consecutive stages. At the first stage, we analyzed more than 50 scientific and sociologically significant sources (articles, monographs, publications in conference collections, data from open surveys and statistical analyses) on the image of Russia in Germany and other Western European countries [Zheglova, 2015, 2018; Kochetkov, 2020; Martynova, 2011; Moiseenko, 2018; Narbut and Trotsuk, 2011; Yuryev, 2003, and others]. As a result of the analysis, 10 main factors were identified, which the authors of the research write about. Let's give a brief description of each of them individually.

Historical factors.

The historical development of Russian-German relations has always had and continues to have a direct impact on the formation of the current image of Russia in the German-speaking consciousness. The complex vicissitudes of the Second World War, then the so-called Cold War, as well as the current relations between the countries of Europe, the United States and Russia have a significant impact on the perception of the image of Russia abroad. As noted by G.-D.Gross, in his work on the history of Eastern Europe, "historical memory sometimes forms stereotypes that are difficult to eradicate" [Gross, 2018].

Economic factors.

The economy plays a key role in modernizing the country's historical image. According to statistics from the German Federal Agency for Foreign Trade, in 2022 the volume of trade turnover between Russia and Germany amounted to 45 billion euros (despite the sanctions policy), which indicates the continued importance of economic ties between the two countries. At the same time, it is important to understand that economic relations can act both as a catalyst for image improvement and as a means of its additional deterioration in the context of political friction [Bergson, 2020].

General political factors.

At the political level, the image of Russia in Germany is formed through standard channels of diplomatic communication, as well as within the framework of international organizations, including the UN, OSCE and the European Union. In recent years, as L. Pfeifer notes, political tensions between the West and Russia, such as sanctions and differences in interpretation of international law, have not contributed to a positive perception of Russia in Germany [Pfeifer, 2021], however, contact and interaction between countries on different fronts continues, taking on slightly different forms.

Socio-cultural factors.

Socio-cultural ties are an important element of public diplomacy. Various exchange programs, including educational, cultural and scientific projects, are designed to smooth out stereotypes and create a more positive image of Russia. According to E. Schulze, cultural initiatives can shed light on the positive aspects of Russia's cultural heritage and achievements, facilitating mutual understanding between countries and nations [Schulze, 2019]. In addition, Germany still has a significant number of Russian-speaking citizens (more than 5 million people) and ethnic Russians (more than 2 million people), which also indirectly affects the strengthening of ties between our countries.

The factor of technological cooperation.

Active cooperation in the field of technology and innovation can become an important aspect of the development of Russian-German relations. Both countries have significant potential in the field of scientific research and can benefit from joint developments. In particular, the fourteenth five-year plan, aimed at digitalization and the development of artificial intelligence in Russia, may correlate with German strategies in this area. Joint research laboratories, technology parks and startup initiatives can create favorable conditions for the exchange of experience, contributing to the improvement of mutual understanding at the level of professional communities, if such is unattainable at the level of political and business elites.

Environmental initiatives.

The environmental agenda is becoming increasingly relevant for both Russia and Germany, and can serve as a basis for productive cooperation. Partnership projects to reduce emissions and focus on climate change issues open up opportunities for collaboration in the field of environmentally friendly technologies. At the same time, it is important that Russia demonstrates its readiness to comply with international standards in this area, which will lead to an improvement in its image as a reliable and environmentally responsible partner. Joint research in the field of biodiversity, protection of forests and water resources can strengthen the positions of both countries in the international arena.

The factor of political will.

No less important is the factor of the political will and willingness of both countries to engage in constructive dialogue. Maintaining stable ties between Moscow and Berlin requires leaders to understand the complexities of the modern world and the need to find compromises. An example of this is regular consultations and meetings that help build trust and provide an opportunity to quickly resolve emerging issues. Reviewing the historical experience of Russian-German relations can also help avoid the mistakes of the past by creating a platform for long-term sustainable cooperation.

A balanced approach and strategic planning can significantly improve relations between Russia and Germany. Trust based on common projects in ecology, science and culture can lead to positive changes in Russia's image, which, in turn, will create prerequisites for strengthening diplomatic and economic ties.

The role of resources in relationships.

Energy resources, in particular gas and oil, continue to play a special role in economic and political cooperation between Russia and Germany. Despite the existing political differences, Germany remains one of the largest consumers of Russian energy. At the same time, the transition to renewable energy sources and the diversification of imports are part of the EU's energy security strategy, which creates new challenges for the Russian oil and gas sector. This aspect can both improve and complicate Russia's image, depending on the role it takes in the transition to green energy.

Dialogue in the field of science and culture.

In the current context, cultural dialogue is a tool of public diplomacy that can soften political rhetoric and stabilize relations. The intensification of cultural exchanges at the level of younger generations can be the key to the sustainability of relations in the future. Investments in language learning, support for joint art projects and festivals can play a significant role in shaping a more positive image of Russia, providing for future cooperation without prejudice and negative stereotypes.

In this regard, the creation of a balanced strategy for shaping the image of the state requires taking into account dynamic changes in both the internal and external environment. This includes identifying and emphasizing those aspects of the external image that can be successfully improved and used as a diplomatic resource. For example, Russia, with its powerful educational and scientific traditions, has the potential to strengthen its position through the development of international educational and scientific initiatives, the emphasis on which will help strengthen its prestige on the world stage.

Working with representatives of international cultural and youth organizations is also becoming particularly important. Participation in joint cultural and educational projects can not only improve Russia's image abroad, but also contribute to the development of intercultural dialogue, which in the long term will strengthen the country's position as a world leader in the humanitarian field.

The tourist factor.

In addition, it is necessary to take into account the changing trends in the tourism sector, which can significantly affect the perception of Russia as an attractive tourist destination. Although the current conditions have significantly reduced its popularity, focusing on developing unique tourist routes that promote national culture and diversity can be an effective measure to restore the interest and trust of foreign tourists.

At the next stage, we compiled a questionnaire with a request to compile a rating of factors that, in the opinion of respondents, have the most massive impact on the formation of the image of Russia among modern German students in general and on their personal perception in particular. The participants were then asked to assess which factors were most significant at the beginning of the new millennium and in the 1990s. Russians Russian as a foreign language, Russian culture or history, 45 students (18-27 years old) from German universities participated in the online remote survey.

The list of 10 factors presented looked as described above, that is, as follows:

• Historical factors.

• Economic factors.

• General political factors.

• Socio-cultural factors.

• The factor of technological cooperation.

• Environmental initiatives.

• The factor of political will.

• The role of resources in relationships.

• Dialogue in the field of science and culture.

• The tourist factor.

A short commentary with examples in German was given on each factor. As a result, the students had to submit four lists of factors:

- general, in their opinion, reflecting the current German youth trend (list A);

- personal, reflecting their individual perception at the present stage (list B);

- Probabilistically reflecting the perception of factors by German youth in the 1990s (list B) and in the 2000s and 2010s (list D).

The years were chosen based on the degree of proximity in time to the age of the respondents: most of them were born after the 2000s and may have some idea of Russia from childhood. They could only have an idea of the 1990s in the retelling of their parents and other elders (teachers, for example), as well as from the literature of the past, films, and history textbooks. However, it was noted that in case of difficulties, it is possible not to perform the rating for this period.

It is noteworthy that in only two of the 45 questionnaires, exactly identical 3 or 4 versions of the lists were obtained (these works were excluded by us as an error). For the period of the 1990s, of the remaining 43, 27 questionnaires were answered. In other cases, rather curious differences were recorded, which we will present in the next section of the article.

Discussion of the results.

Let's present the most typical results for lists A, B, and G. Note that we calculated the factor's importance coefficient: for each mention in the survey, the factor received 10 points for each ranking level. That is, if he was mentioned in 10th place, then 10 points were awarded to him, if in fifth place – 50 conditional points, if in first place – 100 points. Next, the scores from each survey for each factor were summed up and an overall rating of the factors was compiled. The maximum possible score for the factor was determined at 43*100=4,300 points (and 2,700 for the period of the 1990s). Next, we will present the top five factors for each of the lists.

Thus, according to the general ideas of German youth about the current state of affairs (List A), the following were among the most significant factors shaping the modern image of Russia:

• General political factors (4030 points).

• Economic factors (3850 points).

• The factor of political will (3420 points).

• The role of resources in relationships (3210 points).

• The technological cooperation factor (1860 points).

The factors that representatives of the student community have identified as leaders in past eras are significantly different. For ease of perception, we present the data on the top five leading factors in each time period in Table 1.

Table 1. The most frequent factors influencing the formation of Russia's image in Germany, according to the student

German youth

As we can see, changes in the factors that primarily affect Russia's image in the perception of German youth reflect shifts in geopolitical realities, socio-economic ties, and cultural interactions over the past few decades. In the 1990s, when Russia was going through a period of post-Soviet instability, common political factors came to the fore. During this period, the political landscape was largely determined by internal changes in Russia, as well as a change in its position in the international arena. Socio-cultural factors, such as cultural and scientific exchange and public relations, participation in international organizations, also played a significant role, which reflected the interest and attitude to building new ties primarily from Russia.

With the transition in the 2000s and 2010s, the emphasis has changed somewhat. The role of resources in relations has come to the fore, which underscores the increasing importance of energy cooperation and resource dependence of the West as a whole, which intensified at the turn of the century. Economic factors took the second place – obviously, during this period there was an increase in mutually beneficial trade and investment, which was also noted at the level of everyday perception, since all these trends sounded in an external context – from TV screens, from media pages, from small talk. Moreover, dialogue in the field of science and culture was also perceived as a significant factor for that period: the aftertaste of the Iron Curtain had passed, the survival strategies of the 90s had come to naught - Russia had other tasks and opportunities for integration into cultural and scientific world communities.

The current year 2024 reflects the stage of the strongest separation of countries over the past 30 years. General political factors dominate, which indicates an increased importance of politics in determining relations between Russia and Germany (special military operation of the Russian Federation, Western sanctions policy). Economic factors remain critically important, reflecting the ongoing economic integration and challenges associated with sanctions and Russia's counteraction in international markets. The factor of political will, which appeared in third place, underlines the importance of political determination, which, according to young people, is required in order to build a new type of relationship that will replace existing disagreements.

It should also be noted that in 2024, tourism factors, cultural and scientific exchange factors, which intensified during the 2000s, and social factors that took a strong position in shaping the image of the 1990s (emigrants, diasporas, etc.) predictably disappeared from the top five. According to the data, the opposite trend has emerged in modern times – returning to their historical homeland, Russia.

As we can see, interest in Russian culture, literature, and art remains strong, but it is increasingly mixed up with the context of modern political and social challenges. At the same time, the development of information technologies and digital platforms generates new forms of interaction, allowing citizens of different countries to exchange opinions and experiences even at the present tense time.

At the same time, the level of borrowing and integration of cultural elements is increasing, which is especially noticeable in the field of science and technology. Joint projects and research, despite political tensions, continue to strengthen ties between the scientific communities of Russia and Germany, which is noticeable in the number of interdisciplinary approaches and innovative developments. Scientific factors consistently maintain their positions, contributing to mutual understanding and technology transfer.

Ecology and sustainable development are becoming an important factor, although less noticeable in previous periods. Although this factor was not among the top five in the 2024 survey, it occupies a stable sixth place and is also worthy of consideration. This aspect of the relationship highlights the growing awareness in society of the need for joint efforts to combat climate change and maintain ecological balance. Green energy and recycling technologies are becoming points of contact that can further strengthen cooperation and understanding between countries.

The cultural aspect of environmental initiatives should also be noted. The exchange of knowledge and experience in this area contributes to the formation of a new level of international dialogue that goes beyond traditional economic and political ties. The youth of both countries are beginning to actively interact through environmental projects, volunteer programs and cultural exchanges, finding common ground and developing a sense of responsibility for the planet. This attention to environmental issues allows us not only to look for effective solutions to modern problems, but also to form the basis for long-term cooperation and strengthen relations between Russia and Germany.

Finally, some interesting data can be obtained by comparing lists A (a relatively objective rating that students compiled on behalf of the entire youth of Germany) and lists B (a subjective rating that they compiled based on personal ideas). Only in 3 of the 43 papers accepted for analysis, political factors were in the first place in the rating of factors. The respondents most often included in the top three factors: dialogue in the field of science and culture (3670 points), socio-cultural factors (3120 points) and, somewhat unexpectedly– historical factors (2340 points). Perhaps the inclusion of the latter group of factors is due to the specific specialty of the interviewees, the peculiarities of their worldview.

Conclusions.

Thus, the formation of Russia's image in Germany is a multicomponent process that includes historical, economic, political, cultural and other aspects, and therefore factors that influence the final image of the country. As it turned out, Russia's image is not a static category, it has undergone significant changes even over the past 30-35 years, as evidenced by a survey of German students.

By building an integrated and multifaceted approach to external image strategies, based on the research of sociologists, psychologists and political scientists in this field, Russia, in our opinion, has the opportunity to strengthen its influence on the world stage. Taking into account modern realities and trends in international politics, as well as the competent use of its own resource advantages will be the key to its success in this direction. In addition, as the results of the survey showed, many of the representatives of young Germany retain a personal interest in our country and do not always assess its policy as a leading factor.