The Value Basis of Russian Network Communities: the Integrative Function of Communicative Aggression

Abstract

The article raises questions of the xenophobia evolution in the Russian online communities. The main task was to analyze the transformation of phobias into communicative aggression in the dynamics of social interaction. Considering communicative aggression as a tool for establishing dominance in social goal-setting, we turned to the study of communities of different types in order to identify the relationship between the level of communicative tension and certain values. As an empirical basis for the study, we chose messages (posts) published in the online communities of feminists and anonymous users (in the context of their relationship to Islam). The research methods were case-study and critical discourse analysis (at the level of research foundation), non-formalized content analysis, text mining and correlation analysis (at the level of data collection and data processing). At the general theoretical level, an attempt was made to combine the positivist and interpretative paradigms. The study of two cases revealed the dynamics of the transition from the cultivation of phobias to the spread of communicative aggression. It shows how the digitalization of communications affects the polarization of cultural, symbolic and sociopolitical differences and promotes the integration of the individual into the network community. Various scenarios were identified according to which the spread of communicative aggression occurs. For example, in radical feminist communities, aggression occurs when the values of freedom, life and health are threatened. In the case of Islam, aggression is caused by tolerance as a value, as well as a threat to the law, family and freedom. Based on the results of the analysis of each case, recommendations are presented to reduce the level of communicative tension, which consist in avoiding specific value triggers, transforming the media image of network communities and building communication strategies with a more even appeal to all values, and not only to terminal ones. Thus, communities with integration occurs solely by spreading aggressive communications will be forced to turn to other strategies to implement full-fledged activities.