GAYROPA and the bear: how gender discourse shapes the contemporary Russians’ attitudes to Europe

Abstract

Gender discourse plays an important role in contemporary Russians’ attitudes toward Europe. On one hand, it negatively influences the image of Europe, while on the other it reflects many significant aspects of Russians’ comprehension of Us versus Them. Due to the role which gender images, symbols, and metaphors play in constructing social boundaries and hierarchies, they are widely used in the representations of Russian-European relations. Influential politicians and experts speak out on the issue, and leading publications are publishing articles provoking a huge response among commentators on the Internet.