Russia’s Soft Power in Africa: Potential and Challenges of Russian-speaking Women’s Communities
The article refers to one of the integral parts of the of Russian soft power foreign policy, which lies in its interaction with the Russian-speaking women’s communities on the African continent. This topic has not previously been given an appropriate consideration in the domestic scientific discours...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Vestnik RUDN. International Relations |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.rudn.ru/international-relations/article/viewFile/33064/21491 |
| _version_ | 1797704581821497344 |
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| author | Natalia L. Krylova Olga S. Kulkova |
| author_facet | Natalia L. Krylova Olga S. Kulkova |
| author_sort | Natalia L. Krylova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The article refers to one of the integral parts of the of Russian soft power foreign policy, which lies in its interaction with the Russian-speaking women’s communities on the African continent. This topic has not previously been given an appropriate consideration in the domestic scientific discourse. The processes of current social and political transformations in the African countries require the significant increase in soft power, which could become the instrument of developing and consolidating relations between Russia and new African elites and African people. The Russian-speaking communities in Africa and organizations they create are largely composed of women and are developing thanks to their own initiatives. The potential of Russian-speaking women’s communities in Africa, as well as of associations of African graduates of Soviet/Russian educational institutions as prospective soft power providers is quite significant, yet seriously underestimated and untapped properly. Today a variety of associations, clubs, fraternities, unions comprised of Russian-speaking women is widely occurring in the majority of African countries. There are such associations in Zambia, Cameroon, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Nigeria, Uganda, Togo, Angola, Mauritius, Madagascar, Senegal, Nigeria, Rwanda, Mali, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique, and other countries. Russian-African mixed families are considered as the most probable potential mediators in Russian and African societies, cultures and markets. At the same time, the development of ties with the Russian-speaking diaspora in Africa would contribute not only to supporting the foreign policy activities of the Russian Federation on the continent, but also to the implementation of such important national priorities of our country as supporting compatriots abroad and promoting the “Russian world.” This acquires particular importance on the threshold of the second Russia - Africa summit in 2023. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T05:22:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2f9aec09e94b422cb062e5cc99d8a598 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2313-0660 2313-0679 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T05:22:29Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vestnik RUDN. International Relations |
| spelling | doaj.art-2f9aec09e94b422cb062e5cc99d8a5982023-09-03T07:34:06ZengPeoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)Vestnik RUDN. International Relations2313-06602313-06792022-12-0122472874010.22363/2313-0660-2022-22-4-728-74020881Russia’s Soft Power in Africa: Potential and Challenges of Russian-speaking Women’s CommunitiesNatalia L. Krylova0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3788-0887Olga S. Kulkova1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3953-8938Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of SciencesInstitute of Africa of the Russian Academy of SciencesThe article refers to one of the integral parts of the of Russian soft power foreign policy, which lies in its interaction with the Russian-speaking women’s communities on the African continent. This topic has not previously been given an appropriate consideration in the domestic scientific discourse. The processes of current social and political transformations in the African countries require the significant increase in soft power, which could become the instrument of developing and consolidating relations between Russia and new African elites and African people. The Russian-speaking communities in Africa and organizations they create are largely composed of women and are developing thanks to their own initiatives. The potential of Russian-speaking women’s communities in Africa, as well as of associations of African graduates of Soviet/Russian educational institutions as prospective soft power providers is quite significant, yet seriously underestimated and untapped properly. Today a variety of associations, clubs, fraternities, unions comprised of Russian-speaking women is widely occurring in the majority of African countries. There are such associations in Zambia, Cameroon, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Nigeria, Uganda, Togo, Angola, Mauritius, Madagascar, Senegal, Nigeria, Rwanda, Mali, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique, and other countries. Russian-African mixed families are considered as the most probable potential mediators in Russian and African societies, cultures and markets. At the same time, the development of ties with the Russian-speaking diaspora in Africa would contribute not only to supporting the foreign policy activities of the Russian Federation on the continent, but also to the implementation of such important national priorities of our country as supporting compatriots abroad and promoting the “Russian world.” This acquires particular importance on the threshold of the second Russia - Africa summit in 2023.https://journals.rudn.ru/international-relations/article/viewFile/33064/21491africarussiasoft powerdiasporacompatriotsadaptationrussian language cultureemigrationwomen’s associationsstate policy |
| spellingShingle | Natalia L. Krylova Olga S. Kulkova Russia’s Soft Power in Africa: Potential and Challenges of Russian-speaking Women’s Communities Vestnik RUDN. International Relations africa russia soft power diaspora compatriots adaptation russian language culture emigration women’s associations state policy |
| title | Russia’s Soft Power in Africa: Potential and Challenges of Russian-speaking Women’s Communities |
| title_full | Russia’s Soft Power in Africa: Potential and Challenges of Russian-speaking Women’s Communities |
| title_fullStr | Russia’s Soft Power in Africa: Potential and Challenges of Russian-speaking Women’s Communities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Russia’s Soft Power in Africa: Potential and Challenges of Russian-speaking Women’s Communities |
| title_short | Russia’s Soft Power in Africa: Potential and Challenges of Russian-speaking Women’s Communities |
| title_sort | russia s soft power in africa potential and challenges of russian speaking women s communities |
| topic | africa russia soft power diaspora compatriots adaptation russian language culture emigration women’s associations state policy |
| url | https://journals.rudn.ru/international-relations/article/viewFile/33064/21491 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT natalialkrylova russiassoftpowerinafricapotentialandchallengesofrussianspeakingwomenscommunities AT olgaskulkova russiassoftpowerinafricapotentialandchallengesofrussianspeakingwomenscommunities |