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Att rättfärdiga ett krig

Bubb, Erik LU (2025) FKVK02 20242
Department of Political Science
Abstract
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the largest military offensive against a European country since World War II. The invasion has caused extensive human suffering and raised questions about its motives. Vladimir Putin and Timofey Sergeytsev have formulated narratives to legitimize the invasion as defensible and necessary. This study analyzes this legitimization process by identifying and categorizing central assumptions and how these are expected to be realized or countered. It also examines how these narratives are communicated through the state-run media channel Russia Today, which is believed to significantly influence Russian civil society. The study adopts a social constructivist theory,... (More)
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the largest military offensive against a European country since World War II. The invasion has caused extensive human suffering and raised questions about its motives. Vladimir Putin and Timofey Sergeytsev have formulated narratives to legitimize the invasion as defensible and necessary. This study analyzes this legitimization process by identifying and categorizing central assumptions and how these are expected to be realized or countered. It also examines how these narratives are communicated through the state-run media channel Russia Today, which is believed to significantly influence Russian civil society. The study adopts a social constructivist theory, emphasizing Michael Freeden’s definition of ideology, along with discursive factors, language use, and strategic narratives. The theory is
applied through a qualitative morphological ideological analysis. By examining the
discursive legitimization of the invasion, the study provides deeper insight into the ideological structure and communication in the conflict. Based on Putin’s strategic narrative, Sergeytsev’s political article, and eleven news programs from Russia Today, key assumptions within the legitimization process are identified. These assumptions reference international, national, and societal perspectives. The study also maps actions that, beyond the military invasion, include legal and cultural aspects. These assumptions are consistently reinforced in Russia Today’s reporting, strengthening the narrative’s impact. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Bubb, Erik LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
En morfologisk ideologianalys rörande avnazifiering av Ukraina från 2022 till nutid: dess centrala koncept, dess verktyg och dess reaktion på händelser
course
FKVK02 20242
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Rysk-ukrainska kriget, Morfologisk ideologianalys, Media, Strategiska narrativ
language
Swedish
id
9179375
date added to LUP
2025-03-04 13:06:49
date last changed
2025-03-04 13:06:49
@misc{9179375,
  abstract     = {{On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the largest military offensive against a European country since World War II. The invasion has caused extensive human suffering and raised questions about its motives. Vladimir Putin and Timofey Sergeytsev have formulated narratives to legitimize the invasion as defensible and necessary. This study analyzes this legitimization process by identifying and categorizing central assumptions and how these are expected to be realized or countered. It also examines how these narratives are communicated through the state-run media channel Russia Today, which is believed to significantly influence Russian civil society. The study adopts a social constructivist theory, emphasizing Michael Freeden’s definition of ideology, along with discursive factors, language use, and strategic narratives. The theory is
applied through a qualitative morphological ideological analysis. By examining the
discursive legitimization of the invasion, the study provides deeper insight into the ideological structure and communication in the conflict. Based on Putin’s strategic narrative, Sergeytsev’s political article, and eleven news programs from Russia Today, key assumptions within the legitimization process are identified. These assumptions reference international, national, and societal perspectives. The study also maps actions that, beyond the military invasion, include legal and cultural aspects. These assumptions are consistently reinforced in Russia Today’s reporting, strengthening the narrative’s impact.}},
  author       = {{Bubb, Erik}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Att rättfärdiga ett krig}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}