THE FORMATION OF NORMS AND IDENTITY CONDITIONING THE FOREIGN POLICY OF THE ARMENIAN RULING ELITES IN THE RELATIONS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA AND RUSSIAN FEDERATION: A CONSTRUCTIVIST LOOK

Abstract

The objective of the article is to reveal the constructivist factors determining the foreign policy of the Republic of Armenia that are relevant to the Armenian-Russian relation. To that end, the study employs the theoretical and methodological toolkit of International Relations school of Constructivism. The article examines the formation of identities, discourses and perceptions of ruling elites vis-à-vis the domestic and foreign threats, the ways to overcome them, the foreign support and the policy of alliance. The article reveals those foreign policy norms and their life-cycle, which in addition to the factors emanating from the material reality, condition, encourage or limit the policy of the ruling elites towards Russian Federation and act as mechanisms of inclusion and exclusion of political subjects. The article underlines the similarities and disparities between the first and second administrations of the RA in terms of the above mentioned matters, points out the debates therein and their influence on the life cycles of developing norms.