New Article: “Russian Warship, Go fuck yourself”. Romantic Narratives of the Hero in the War in Ukraine
09.01.2025 -
Prof. Dr. Alexander Spencer, Gabriela Pancheva, Amri Azis Ardhelas & Andrea Torresagaton Gil have published their latest research article in British Journal of Politics and International Relations https://doi.org/10.1177/13691481241303258
In this paper they explore the romantic construction of the ‘heroes’ that defend a righteous cause against a more powerful and unjust enemy often serves as a means to legitimise political narratives and violent actions. They take Ukraine as a case study.
Abstract of the Paper
In times of war, ‘heroes’ play a key role. The romantic construction of the ‘heroes’ that defend a righteous cause against a more powerful and unjust enemy often serves as a means to legitimise political narratives and violent actions. The iconic phrase ‘Russian warship, go fuck yourself!’ uttered by a Ukrainian border guard during an imminent Russian attack on Snake Island in February 2022 became a globally known symbol of heroism and resistance that generated great solidarity against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Taking up notions of hero studies in political science and International Relations, and utilising a narrative analysis method that focuses on the elements of setting, characterisation and emplotment, this article examines how British media outlets (The Guardian, The Times and The Sun) construct the figure of the romantic ‘hero’ within the context of the Snake Island incident, while it also delves into the possible consequences of such heroisation.
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