Managing Russia's Image in the West

This book discusses how the Russian government, greatly concerned about Russia’s increasingly negative image in the West, is taking steps through various kinds of public diplomacy to project a more positive image of the country. It examines how the increasingly authoritarian and undemocratic nature of Putin’s regime has brought about a negative image of Russia, and it describes how perceptions about Russia in the West are monitored. It considers how Russia is working to improve its image – emphasising that Russia is a good place for businesses to invest, a reliable partner, a country with rich cultural traditions, and with a non-imperial attitude to the neighbouring countries which were formerly part of the Russian and Soviet empires. It explores how the effectiveness of these attempts to improve Russia’s image can be measured, and concludes that the attempts have been ineffective so far, with negative images of Russia in the West persisting and deepening.