Targeting identity: the concept of weaponized narrative in the propaganda discourse of modern wars

Целясь в идентичность: концепт вооруженного нарратива в пропагандистском дискурсе современных войн

Sergey P. Potseluev (Поцелуев С.П.)
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Sergey P. Potseluev (Поцелуев С.П.): Southern Federal University; Southern Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences

State and Municipal Management Scholar Notes, 2025, vol. 4, 201-209

Abstract: Introduction. The growing role of information and propaganda in contemporary armed conflicts raises the question of the specific role of narratives within it. Directly related to this is the question of to what extent does the role of narratives in war discourse influence not only their semantic content but also their structure? And how can this morphological feature of narratives used in war contexts be conceptually expressed? Purpose. To substantiate the claim that, among all the varieties of political narrative used in the analysis of modern military propaganda discourse, the concept of armed narrative appears particularly promising methodologically. Methods. As the primary research method, the author applies a structural approach to the analysis of political narratives, as well as a comparative analysis of concepts related to the discourse of military-political conflicts. Results. This article presents a critical analysis of political narrative concepts in terms of their relevance to the discursive and propaganda specifics of modern warfare. Drawing on the experience of understanding armed narratives in Western think tanks, the author describes the structural features of armed narratives, as well as their functions in military propaganda discourse. Based on the research conducted, the article demonstrates the potential of the armed narrative concept, particularly for analyzing anti-Russian propaganda discourse. Conclusions. The article substantiates that an armed narrative, always aimed at the identity of the enemy and its target audience, tends not to objectively analyze the situation, but to promote its subjective interpretation in order to displace competing narratives. The author concludes that, unlike other concepts expressing varieties of political narratives, the concept of armed narrative allows for the most accurate expression of the discursive specifics of modern military-political conflicts.

Keywords: political narrative; strategic narrative; military narrative; armed narrative; propaganda discourse; narrative assertion; narrative history; identity; Russia-Ukraine conflict; Russian identity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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