Olympic Ceremonial Costume in the Context of Cultural Expansion/Occupation: Defining the Concept

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to form the conceptual and terminological component of the study of the Olympic ceremonial costume in the context of cultural expansion. The research methodology involves the use of general logical methods of objective analysis of the design of the Olympic ceremonial costume and analysis of scientific sources, which became the basis for the formation of the conceptual and terminological apparatus of the study. The scientific novelty consists in the fact that, for the first time in the scientific field, an attempt has been made to form a conceptual and terminological apparatus for the study of the Olympic ceremonial costume in the context of cultural expansion. Conclusions. The Olympic ceremonial costume is a transmitter of iconic and symbolic messages that reflects the essence of a country’s culture and serves as a means of its presence at international competitions. Unlike professional sports equipment (uniforms), the main function of this costume is to demonstrate the country’s culture. Given the specifics of the Olympics, designing a costume for the Parade of Nations is a creative endeavour that reflects the historical state of the era – its political, economic, cultural, and social context. The Olympic ceremonial costume is not only a fashion product but also an object of art history, with the help of artistic and informational identification, it reproduces the state of society in its certain historical context. The conceptual and terminological apparatus is a fundamental component of any research. The absence of definitions of concepts leads to a “blurring” of the meanings of the terms used, allows for situational speculation, and makes it impossible to implement mechanisms to bring to justice propaganda adherents who use visual language as a means of instilling the necessary narratives of the political order of a country pursuing an expansionary policy. Cultural expansion, within the framework of which the Olympic ceremonial costume is studied, is part of the subversive activities of the stage of demoralising the enemy. This phenomenon is characterised by the promotion of false information messages in a cultural product, the implementation process of which does not have a specific time frame. Cultural expansion is realised through diffusionism, appropriation, and extrapolation of the cultural heritage of one state by another and has an official or unofficial character, which is a threat to national security in the field of culture and information.