The initiative has been established to discuss the key issues raised by the ongoing conflict in the Ukraine and foster long lasting research partnerships between Ukrainian and international universities.
The online ‘Intersections of Geopolitics and Political Communication: Lessons from the War in Ukraine’ roundtable will take place on Monday December 5, from 12 noon until 1.30pm. It is being hosted by º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ’s ‘Challenges to Democracy and the Public Space (CHADS)’ research group, from the School of Social Sciences and Humanities, and the Department of International Relations at Odesa I.I. Machnikov National University (ONU) in the Ukraine.
Speaking about the event, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ’s Dr Ali Bilgic said: “The conflict in the Ukraine has yet again shown that political communication is a central element of geopolitical contestation between states. Communication strategies in mainstream and social media not only reflect but also promote states’ geopolitical interests. How these strategies are received is largely shaped by the geopolitical and security considerations of the global audience.
“Exploring intersections of geopolitics and political communication, the roundtable participants will discuss why the respective political communication strategies of Ukraine and Russia, since the beginning of the war, have been more successful in some contexts than others and how geopolitics, including energy security concerns, influences political communication strategy, tactics, and reception.”
The roundtable will be introduced by Professor Andriy Smityukh, Vice-Rector for Scientific and Pedagogical Work and International Cooperation, and Professor Yurii Hrinchenko, Head of the Office for International Relations at ONU, and Professor Steve Rothberg, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ's Ukraine Response Lead.
Participants at the discussion will also include:
- Professor Olga Brusylovska and Dr Iryna Maksymenko from the Department of International Relations, Odesa I.I. Machnikov National University, Ukraine
- Dr Madhavi Ravikumar from the Department of Communication, University of Hyderabad, India
- Professor John Downey, Communication and Media, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ
- Dr Duncan Depledge, International Relations, Politics and History, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ
- Dr Ali Bilgic (moderator), CHADS Research Lead, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ
