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Securitization of Ukrainian Heritage: The Role of Media Visualizations

Europe (Central and Eastern)
European Union
Foreign Policy
Media
War
Communication
Narratives
Natalia Chaban
Canterbury Christ Church University
Natalia Chaban
Canterbury Christ Church University
Ole Elgström
Lunds Universitet
Oksana Pietsukh
Independent Researcher
The battle of narratives and weaponization of cultural and historic heritage: EU cultural and heritage diplomacy in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine and hybrid interference

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Abstract

With news media being key players shaping perceptions and reactions to international actors and events, this study investigates the contribution of influential US newspapers to narrating Ukraine’s cultural and historic heritage impacted by the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the EU’s role in mitigating this impact. This inquiry addresses the problem of securitization, operationalized as threats to societal and human security (Ukraine’s national identity, material heritage, and cultural actors). The study focuses on the visual media content (photographs) communicating the issues of Ukrainian heritage. Considering the power of photographs to shape perceptions and their emotive charge, this research hypothesizes an interpretation gap – a gap between associating Ukraine with a victim, or with an actor who heroically protects and safeguards its heritage. The data came from a Jean Monnet Network “Challenges and opportunities of EU-Ukraine heritage diplomacy” (HER-UKR 2023-2026).