Strategy in the practice of statecraft? The interrelationship of foreign and military policies in Putin’s Russia, 2014-2021

Myers, Nicholas J. (2022) Strategy in the practice of statecraft? The interrelationship of foreign and military policies in Putin’s Russia, 2014-2021. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This dissertation empirically examines press releases and documents issued by the Russian government to measure their relative frequency and intended message over the years 2014-2021. It then quantifies how the quantities of diplomatic meetings and military exercises over time shift the relative quality of Russia’s relations with other countries of the world as well as the degree of military threat expressed toward each country by the geographical and tactical distribution of the military exercises acknowledged by the state. Finally, it assesses this shifting distribution using mixed methodologies: a quantitative methodology to determine if and how the changing foreign policy quality and military threat are correlated and a qualitative methodology to examine the patterns by which different leading Russian politicians and bureaucratic organs discuss their competing outlooks on and objectives of policy. It concludes by assessing that despite efforts to better harmonise policymaking across the Russian government, relatively little evidence exists to suggest that a coherent strategy is determining the everyday coordination of Russian foreign and military policies.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Subjects: D History General and Old World > DK Russia. Soviet Union. Former Soviet Republics; J Political Science > JZ International relations; U Military Science > U Military Science (General)
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences
• Supervisor's Name: Heuser, Professor Beatrice and Aliyev, Dr. Huseyn
• Date of Award: 2022
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2022-83291
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 02 Dec 2022 16:10
• Last Modified: 13 Dec 2022 12:21
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.83291
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/83291