The meaning of the concept “Liberalism” in modern Russian society

Abstract

Purpose - to describe the structure and reveal the content of the concept of “Liberalism” in the modern Russian society. Methodology and Approach. The study is performed using linguistic, linguoculturological and cognitive analysis of lexemes denoting liberalism and its modern manifestations.Results. The concept “liberalism” realized in mass media communication is analysed. Methods of selecting adequate and necessary material for linguistic analysis are tested; structuring of a concept based on the common theme of discourses is proposed. As a result, a complex, multi-dimensional structure of the discussed concept is determined, which is characterized by polycentricity, confrontationality, content volume, evaluation, and expressiveness.Theoretical / Practical implication. Due to the targeted analysis of the discussion contexts of the concept and its assessments in the media, a variety of worldviews, behavioral models, ideological preferences, and moral principles forming the attitude of various society groups to liberalism is described. A new view on this sphere of social images and the scope of the modern concept “Liberalism” is identified.

Keywords

• concept
• structure
• content field
• stimulus word
• media discourse
• Internet communication