Public Memory of the Sochi 2014 and Russia 2018 Tournaments and Their Mediation, 2022

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The goal of this data collection is to help assess how the Russian sport mega-events of the 2010s, the Sochi Olympics and the 2018 World Cup, are publicly remembered and what does this suggest about the outcomes of Russia's efforts to influence domestic and international audiences through such projects several years after their conclusion. The collection is comprised of three sets of research:(i) follow-up Interviews with Russian fans and media specialists; (ii) Twitter data related to memory of Sochi 2014 following the outbreak of the Russo-Ukraine war; and (iii) Twitter data related to memory of Sochi 2014 and Russia 2018 Football World Cup.

My research investigates the nation projection activities of neo-authoritarian states, with a focus on contemporary Russia. The concept of 'nation projection' subsumes classic cultural diplomacy efforts and soft power activities such as the hosting of sport and entertainment events, including the Olympic Games. The term also refers to state-sponsored campaigns of external influence such as Russia's alleged media-driven meddling in the affairs of foreign states. As such, the nation projection activities of neo-authoritarian states are often depicted as 'propaganda' designed to conceal domestic political and economic problems on the one hand and exacerbate social and political tensions in democratic states on the other. The interface between nation projection and high-profile media events is fertile ground for the exploration of how meaning in the contemporary world is co-created by politicians, the media, and the publics. Yet neither the strategies nor the outcomes of the nation projection of illiberal states through media events, from sports tournaments to political campaigns and elections, have been understood adequately. Using contemporary Russia as a case study, my research better informs our understanding of the ways illiberal states communicate with international publics through media events. My work confronts the oversimplistic and outdated perceptions of such efforts as well-coordinated, malicious, and effective 'propaganda' that persist among political and media specialists and members of the public. My PhD thesis on Russia's nation projection through the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games and subsequent work on the research project "Reframing Russia" make an important contribution to addressing these misconceptions. The Fellowship will allow me to consolidate, disseminate, and ensure the impact of my investigation of the field to propose adequate solutions to this research problem. The PDF will also enable me to work with sets of interview and social media data regarding recent media events involving Russia, gathered during my doctoral and postdoctoral work, which I have yet to fully exploit. The Fellowship will enable me to communicate my research findings to a variety of stakeholders, and influence research, decision-making, and perceptions among relevant academics, political advisors and government departments, media specialists and other professional research users, as well as the general public. The outcomes of the Fellowship will prompt a re-evaluation and better understanding of the strategies of attraction employed by contemporary neo-authoritarian states through media events. I will challenge the notion that such events provide a universal template that neo-authoritarian political systems can easily utilise as soft power and regime legitimation tools. I will achieve this goal by writing a book based on my thesis and producing an academic journal article. My work will also include a policy-focused brief targeted for key policy-makers and advisors, and professional development and knowledge exchange visits to the International Olympic Committee's Olympic Studies Centre and the thinktank Play the Game. The Fellowship will also help me connect with researchers working on related topics and share my findings more widely among them. I will grow professionally under the mentorship of world-leading scholars Joseph McGonagle and Stephen Hutchings and have a chance to utilise their networks. The PDF will additionally allow me to develop a proposal for a new research programme on nation projection and its outcomes during media events co-hosted by democratic and neo-authoritarian European states, such as the Pan-European UEFA 2021 Football Championship. Overall, the Fellowship will be invaluable in my transition from doctoral student to emerging leader in the field of nation projection and media events. It will ensure the results of my work to date achieve maximum impact.