NATIONAL MODELS OF STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS IN A COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29038/2524-2679-2025-02-60-80Keywords:
strategic communications, public diplomacy, information operations, national security, NATO, EU, psychological influence, foreign policy, institutional cooperation, international relationsAbstract
The article explores the emergence and development of the concept of strategic communications in international relations. The central focus is on the transfor- mation of strategic communication approaches in the context of hybrid threats, information warfare, shifting geopolitical dynamics, and the need for effective influence on target audiences. It is demonstrated that strategic communications represent a multi-level system of coordinated actions by state and non-state actors aimed at achieving foreign policy goals through information dissemina- tion, influence, and the shaping of a favorable informational environment. The article thoroughly analyzes strategic communication models employed by key international actors such as the United States, the European Union, and NATO, as well as by individual countries including the United Kingdom, France, Ger- many, Turkey, China, and the Russian Federation. A comparative perspective re- veals the contrast between democratic models based on dialogue and societal engagement, and authoritarian models emphasizing control, manipulation, and expansion. Special attention is paid to various definitions of “strategic communi- cations” in military-political, humanitarian, and institutional contexts. The article summarizes current interpretations of the term in academic, political, and prac- tical discourse and presents a typology of core definitions. The author offers a synthesized definition: strategic communications are understood as the deliberate use of all available communicative tools by a state or international organization to achieve strategic goals in the face of rising challenges in international security and information influence.
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