Teaching Comparative

Political culture and public opinion in Russia

The RFE/RL report on the media's effects on public opinion in Russia is not breathtaking. We all know that media help shape public opinion. But it is helpful to have examples, like those in this article, to illustrate the generalizations we want our students to learn.

Russia: Media Create Friends, Foes


"A recent poll has shown that many Russians have a low opinion of some of their neighbors and the United States. According to a May poll conducted by the national Levada Center, 37 percent of Russians regard the United States as an unfriendly state, compared with 23 percent last year. Forty-six percent of Russians consider Latvia to be unfriendly, 44 percent think the same of Georgia, and 42 percent about Lithuania...

"The poll was conducted among 1,600 respondents in all regions of Russia...

"Growing public animosity toward the Baltic states and GUAM countries (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and Moldova) comes as little surprise. The Russian media frequently portrays the Baltic countries in a negative light and officials, taking their lead from President Vladimir Putin and the Duma, regularly chastise these countries for their Euro-Atlantic orientation.

"The Russian press has already dubbed the countries stretched from the Baltic to the Black seas as the "belt of un-chastity." Print, broadcast, and online media routinely accuse Latvian officials of having Nazi sympathies. Circulating the Internet this year was a cartoon of Latvia's president, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, wearing an SS uniform...

"Russian media is also significant in helping create an image of Russia's "friends." According to the Levada poll, the country held in the highest regard is Belarus, which is considered to be a friendly state by 47 percent of respondents (46 percent in 2005). In second place is Germany with 23 percent, followed by Kazakhstan with 20 percent, India with 16 percent, and China with 12 percent..."

Seemingly innocuous pictures, like this TASS photo from Latvia, may remind Russians of Latvia's cultural links to Germany.

posted by Ken Wedding @ 9:43 AM