RUDN journal of Sociology (Sep 2022)
The information field of the concept ‘Russian power reputation’ in the expert and public opinion
Abstract
The article presents the results of the research project on the reputation of the Russian power, which aimed at identifying and explaining the content of the concepts ‘Russian power reputation’ (state and municipal power) and ‘reputation of the levels and branches of the Russian power’ (on the example of the regional executive power), and at assessing their closeness in the conceptual field. The author developed and empirically tested (expert and public opinion polls were conducted in the regions of Central Russia in August - November 2021) a theoretical model of the ‘Russian power reputation’, which has not been independently studied before. The article presents the structure and content of the information field of this concept, which (with a certain degree of convention) is defined as twocored. The basic core is a semantic field of the category ‘reputation’, the substantive core includes characteristics of the concept ‘Russian power reputation’. The author identifies key characteristics constituting the basis of the substantive core or the near periphery of the basic core, and characteristics of the far and extremely far periphery. The content of the concept ‘Russian power reputation’ consists of two main blocks - institutional and activity - in their integrating characteristics (service to the people and effectiveness/efficiency of power). The institutional block characteristics prevail (especially in public opinion), which indicates the priority of the value content of reputation over the pragmatic one. Thus, a new concept is introduced into the scientific discourse - ‘Russian power reputation’, which means a complex national phenomenon of the historically determined social and political reality - it represents a value perception and relatively stable opinion of citizens about the authorities as based on certain experience of communication and estimates of their real actions which determine a sense of trust and embody the purpose of government - to serve the people - in a productive, effective way; and it reflects the system of citizens’ expectations and perceptions of a proper power (honest, responsible, fair, caring and protective).
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