Volodymyr Zelensky Research Articles

Promoting or Shattering Populism: The Case of Political Comedy and Satire in Ukrainian Media

ABSTRACT This paper inquires whether political comedy and satire, in which it is customary to articulate the centrality of ordinary citizens and disdain for elites, are bound to portray politicians and politics via populist lenses. It compares the joking about politics in Ukraine on two television shows in 2019–2020, soon after Volodymyr Zelensky, a comedian turned politician, came to the presidency with populist narratives in 2019. The results demonstrate that whereas one of the shows, Vecherniy Kvartal, used populist framing of politics rather extensively, the other, called, bizarrely, #@)₴?$0, not only avoided it but even made populist rhetoric itself the target of jokes.

The Listening Public in Public Diplomacy: How Did the Public Respond to President Zelensky on Twitter?

This exploratory study focuses on the public as a listening ensemble that takes part in public diplomacy on Twitter. Here, listening is considered as the receiving component of communication, and responsive behavior as its visible product. The focus is on public communication that followed Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. A total of 4,392 quote tweets (citing the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky’s tweets mentioning Ukraine’s possible membership in the European Union) were analyzed using the taxonomy of verbal response modes. Two major modes were identified: responses to the situation by sharing information and persuasion, and responses to Zelensky, Ukrainians, and the public by disclosing feelings and opinions. Interestingly, the different social roles of the public were associated with how much interaction was elicited. The listening public contributes to global deliberativeness; not strictly from an issue-oriented problem-solving perspective, but in the sense that they weave together analytical and social aspects of deliberative reflection.

Інавгураційна промова президента як дискурсивне втілення ціннісних соціально-політичних ідеологем

In this article, we focus on political discourse as a means of disseminating and reinforcing the ideologies of the ruling elite, which establish the socio-ethical and value parameters of society as a whole. As an effective tool of political communication, political discourse significantly influences the cognitive and value orientations of the electorate, shapes public opinion, and frames the perception of events and facts within a proposed axiological system. Among the various genres of political discourse, the inaugural speech is particularly noteworthy due to its rich expression of the values proposed by each president upon taking office. We analyzed the inaugural speeches of three presidents — Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron, and Volodymyr Zelensky — to examine how they verbalize and pragmatically deploy national-cultural, socio-political, and spiritual-ethical values specific to Americans, French, and Ukrainians

STRUCTURE AND SEMANTICS OF THE INAUGURAL SPEECH IN THE PRESIDENTIAL DISCOURSE (ON THE MATERIAL IN UKRAINIAN, POLISH, SLOVAK AND SERBIAN LANGUAGES)

The article is devoted to the study of structural and semantic features of the main speech genre of presidential rhetoric — the inaugural speech. We characterized the main approaches to defining the speech genre and highlighted the structural components of the inaugural speech in political discourse. The purpose of the study is to reveal the structural and semantic features of the presidents’ inaugural speeches presented in Slavic languages (Ukrainian, Polish, Slovak and Serbian). The object of the research is the presidential discourse implemented in the speech activity of the presidents of Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia and Serbia. The subject of the study is the structural components and semantic features of the inaugural speeches in the presidential discourse. We analyzed the inaugural speeches of the presidents who held this position in the first half of 2024: Volodymyr Zelensky (Ukraine), Andrzej Duda (Republic of Poland), Zuzana Čaputová (Slovak Republic), Aleksandar Vučić (Republic of Serbia). The material for the analysis was the texts of the inaugural speeches delivered by the presidents in the last term. The methods of component and linguistic stylistic analysis were used to analyze the structural and semantic features of the inaugural speeches. The component analysis made it possible to consider the lexical semantics, and the linguistic stylistic analysis became the basis for determining the stylistic features of the texts. The structure of the inaugural speech covers the framework elements of the greeting, conclusion, formulation of the political creed. Speech acts of thanksgiving are the main structural elements of the inaugural speech of the presidents. At the semantic level, the inaugural speech contains a description of the political situation in the country in the context of historical events and a specification of program provisions of a priority nature. Common elements for the inaugural speeches of the presidents of Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia and Serbia are the presence of mandatory structural elements, the dominance of speech acts of thanksgiving, appeals to the historical past and the formulation of future political steps. Among the specific features of presidential speeches, the use of ethnonyms in the speeches of V. Zelenskyi and A. Duda was recorded; the dominance of references to ancient history in the speeches of A. Duda and O. Vuchich; V. Zelenskyi’s criticism of the previous government, in particular the country’s presidents.

Mediatization and Mystique. Volodymyr Zelensky’s Self-Presentation on Instagram

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: This study uses mediatization theory and Goffman’s concept of self-presentation to explain the inseparable role of social media in the rise of Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukrainian politics and, since the Russian invasion, world consciousness. From the start, his political persona has been governed far more by media logic than political calculation, although the former has translated into the latter. THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: The analysis explores how Zelensky develops an iconic communication style through visual framing and other mediation techniques. Towards this end, we conduct a visual content analysis of images posted to his official Instagram account across three points in time: his candidacy, presidency before the invasion, and first year of the invasion. 100 images are sampled from each time period and subjected to detailed visual and nonverbal analysis. THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: Employing framing theory and Goffman’s notion of self-presentation, the study explains the Ukrainian leader’s skillful use of visual and nonverbal messaging to project an image of an everyman president and, beginning with the February 2022 invasion, emergent soldier-in-chief. The analysis also shows how specific visual appeals (e.g., facial expressions, Ukrainian symbols) and background settings influence Zelensky’s presentation over time. RESEARCH RESULTS: Results show how the inclusion of more political, and then diplomatic and military, elites in posts during his presidency and year one of the invasion positions Zelensky as a recognized leader while solidifying his status as soldier-in-chief. Indeed, the ubiquity and universality of his soldier persona have become a widely recognized symbol of the fight for democratic freedom. CONCLUSIONS, INNOVATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The study illustrates how Zelensky utilizes social media, Instagram in particular, as a platform for compelling self-presentation while communicating a message of national unity and resolve. His ubiquitous media presence has introduced a new perspective on leadership during wartime.

Resilience as a ‘concept at work’ in the war in Ukraine: Exploring its international and domestic significance

AbstractIn the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine, it is striking that there have been many references to resilience, including by Western and Ukrainian leaders. This article is precisely about their use of resilience discourse, and it makes two important contributions to existing scholarship on resilience in conflict settings. First, drawing on Ish-Shalom’s idea of ‘concepts at work’ and analysing a selection of speeches and policy statements (by Western leaders and President Volodymyr Zelensky) that specifically refer to resilience, it demonstrates that resilience is a significant ‘concept at work’ in the war, making certain forms of international and domestic politics possible. Second, while research on resilience frequently discusses different ways that the concept has been defined and approached in fields such as engineering, ecology, and psychology, this article highlights that diverse framings of resilience have become entangled as the concept is ‘at work’ in the war in Ukraine. More specifically, its analysis makes prominent the fusion of different resiliences at different levels – from the individual to the systemic – discursively working together for particular political ends. In this way, it offers a novel way of thinking multi-systemically about resilience and, by extension, about resilience and complexity.

Analysing the language of political conflict: a study of war rhetoric of Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky

ABSTRACT This study applies textual analysis and CDA to examine linguistic or discursive structures of war rhetoric with samples selected from war speeches of Vladimir Putin of Russia and Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. In selecting to analyze the current war in Ukraine as a case study, the research results highlight the implications of war rhetoric by the two leaders for global peace, especially by analyzing the structures and transformations of language use broadly conceptualized as ‘discourse’ to serve historical, cultural and political purposes and their implications for future relations of Russia and Ukraine, and its broader consequences in Eastern Europe.

The framing of politics in a Ukrainian comedy show: a populist appeal?

ABSTRACT In this study we used computer-assisted (Atlas.ti software) quantitative analysis of framing politics in a popular Ukrainian television comedy show Vechernii Kvartal (VKv) to evaluate whether and to what extent it used populist frames in 2019-2020, after its star and director Volodymyr Zelensky won the presidency with populist narratives. We found that VKv offered a consistently populist perspective for looking at politics. Its main element was anti-elitist humor targeting both old politicians and political newcomers, including those from Zelensky’s party Sluha Narodu. The only exception was Zelensky himself, who was portrayed via the characteristic of populism people-centrist template—as a simple man genuinely caring about the people. We found no exclusionist framing, which is typical, for example, for European right-wing populist rhetoric and which discursively excludes all who are not natives (minorities, migrants, asylum-seekers) from a country’s “pure and virtuous people.”

The proxy war in Ukraine

Overwhelming empathy with all the civilians and conscripts who have suffered from the ongoing violence in Ukraine, which began years before the Russian invasion of February 2022, must be complemented by analysis and explanation. What can anthropologists contribute? I have been disappointed by one-sided accounts endorsing the government of President Volodymyr Zelensky and the cause of the Ukrainian nation that have dominated in the Western mass media and anglophone academic work, including that of anthropologists. From an anthropological perspective, to invoke international law and sacralize political sovereignty is inadequate (Hann 2023; Malinowski 1944). Instead, we need to scrutinize the complex history of the Ukrainian nation, which is being consummated through the present violence. We need to recognize that Zelensky heads an Atlanticist, market-oriented, nationalist regime of dubious legitimacy. This critical stance does not mean deference to the Kremlin in the spirit of the “realist school” of international relations. It does mean recalling that as late as autumn 2021 President Vladimir Putin was putting forward proposals for a peaceful resolution of the crisis brought about by Western geopolitical and economic ambitions since the end of the Cold War. For the Russian political classes (not just for Putin and his oligarchical allies), when it came to NATO expansion Ukraine was a unique red line. However, too many interest groups in Washington as well as in Kyiv actually wanted the war that began in February 2022 (though this could not be declared publicly).

The proxy war in Ukraine

Overwhelming empathy with all the civilians and conscripts who have suffered from the ongoing violence in Ukraine, which began years before the Russian invasion of February 2022, must be complemented by analysis and explanation. What can anthropologists contribute? I have been disappointed by one-sided accounts endorsing the government of President Volodymyr Zelensky and the cause of the Ukrainian nation that have dominated in the Western mass media and anglophone academic work, including that of anthropologists. From an anthropological perspective, to invoke international law and sacralize political sovereignty is inadequate (Hann 2023; Malinowski 1944). Instead, we need to scrutinize the complex history of the Ukrainian nation, which is being consummated through the present violence. We need to recognize that Zelensky heads an Atlanticist, market-oriented, nationalist regime of dubious legitimacy. This critical stance does not mean deference to the Kremlin in the spirit of the “realist school” of international relations. It does mean recalling that as late as autumn 2021 President Vladimir Putin was putting forward proposals for a peaceful resolution of the crisis brought about by Western geopolitical and economic ambitions since the end of the Cold War. For the Russian political classes (not just for Putin and his oligarchical allies), when it came to NATO expansion Ukraine was a unique red line. However, too many interest groups in Washington as well as in Kyiv actually wanted the war that began in February 2022 (though this could not be declared publicly).

Volodymyr Zelensky’s Presidential Rhetoric as a Strategic Resource

The article exposes Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s presidential rhetoric as a strategic resource in Ukraine’s confrontation with the Russian aggressor after 24.02.2022. By grasping varied aspects of political communication exercised by the Ukrainian president, we try to explain how and why the Ukrainian state is capable of creating an effective communication campaign in times of being invaded by its powerful neighbor. According to our assumptions, it is particularly a matter of 1. clarity and relevance of goals that the head of Ukraine wants to achieve through his rhetoric, 2. inclusiveness of the formula that Zelenskyy uses to demonstrate the essence of being Ukrainian and contributing to Ukrainian culture; 3. his artistic proficiency which helps him in identifying the proper means of persuading broad audiences to his narrative and agenda.
 To verify the accuracy of the hypotheses, we employed theoretical concepts of logos, ethos, and pathos in the course of analysing chosen speeches delivered by the Ukrainian president. Moreover, the notions of “facilitating leadership” proposed by George C. Edwards III, and the “Medici Effect” coined by Frans Johansson are involved.
 The outcomes of the work confirmed our expectations. The high quality and strategic meaning of Zelenskyy’s statements after 24.02.2022 come from three main sources, i.e., 1. transparent and justified message; 2. the unifying qualities of the speaker; 3. his persuasive skilfulness.

Verbal and non-verbal means of expressing political leadership of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky (on the material of the CNN in terview)

Verbal and non-verbal means of expressing political leadership of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky (on the material of the CNN in terview)

Conceptual metaphors in Volodymyr Zelensky’s political discourse

The article aims at identifying and analysing conceptual metaphors in Volodymyr Zelensky’s political discourse, their role and functions within the armed conflict. The consequences of this war are globally relevant because the geopolitical situation in the region, the future of the EU and its member states, especially Poland, the Baltic States and EU candidate Moldova, are highly dependent on the end of this war. The most prevalent conceptual metaphors, identified in Zelensky’s discourse are – WAR IS A JOURNEY, STATE IS A BUILDING, WAR IS A GAME and STATE IS A PERSON. Their role is to form an intended positive image of Ukraine and a negative image of Russia; to define who is a victim and who is an enemy in this war. Furthermore, the real perception of the situation, based on conceptual metaphors, might attract more support in the form of armament, stricter sanctions against Russia, and, eventually, to lead to the victory.

Influence of Russian and Nato Rivalry on Ukrainian National Security during Volodymyr Zelensky's Presidential Term

Since before the Cold War and until the fall of the Soviet Union, there have been tense relationsbetween Russia and NATO. Russia, which succeeded the Soviet Union as its heir, inherited a fewprivileges due to its downfall. Russia grew to be the most prominent, prosperous, and richest nationamong the CIS nations, having a significant political impact on Eastern and Central Europe. AsNATO, a security agreement, increases its influence, Russia feels threatened and does not want tocease to exist. The rivalry between the two actors affects neighboring Russia, including Ukraine.Zelensky's decision to speed up the integration process of the NATO security pact provoked Russianoutrage because it was articulated as a challenge, and practically, the actions taken by Zelensky couldnot accelerate his membership in NATO. Russia launched a military invasion of Ukraine that hadimplications for the neighboring country's national security crisis. In analyzing this thesis, the authorsused the concept of rivalry to analyze the relationship between Russia and NATO and the idea ofnational security to analyze the status quo of Ukraine due to Russian-NATO influence. The researchmethod was descriptive, using data from books, journals, and several other references. This studyfound a Ukrainian national security crisis in the Zelensky era due to the influence of Russian andNATO rivalries.

Idealized Influence of President Volodymyr Zelensky

This article examines the leadership of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. It applies three features of Bernard M. Bass’s concept of idealized influence of transformational leadership: high ethical conduct, collective sense of mission, and perception of confidence. The author considers the results of the analysis and explains why these findings are important. While the study covers the political-scientific analysis of President Zelensky’s leadership, its particular novelty lies in the use of Bass’s theory of transformational leadership, formulated on the basis of management and organization science.

Towards an Antiwar Transnational Populism? An Analysis of the Construction of ‘the Russian People’ in Volodymyr Zelensky's Wartime Speeches

Towards an Antiwar Transnational Populism? An Analysis of the Construction of ‘the Russian People’ in Volodymyr Zelensky's Wartime Speeches

Główne determinanty zwycięstwa Wołodymyra Zełenskiego w wyborach prezydenckich 2019 roku

The aim of the article is to identify the main determinants that led to the victory of Volodymyr Zelensky in the 2019 presidential election in Ukraine. The following methods were used to carry out the research task: historical, analysis of existing data, systemic and case study. This article analyzes: 1) the pre-election situation (the election campaign officially started on December 31, 2018); 2) leitmotifs of the election campaign of the two main rivals (Volodymyr Zelensky and Petro Poroshenko); 3) the main factors that led to Zelensky’s victory in the presidential election. In the 2019 presidential election, for the first time in Ukraine’s history, the candidate using modern electoral technologies based on emotions won.

Zelensky files

Leadership, in all its guises, is complex, messy, elusive and often times enigmatic. Talented leaders fail and average leaders thrive in all sectors of society, including universities. Dynamic leadership situations with the right timing and a little luck create great leaders; complex situations also result in failure for some of the most talented leaders. And, occasionally a leader’s talent transcends even the most complex situational context resulting in sustainable transformational change. This paper is a descriptive analysis of one leader who has captured the hearts, minds and imaginations of people across the world – President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. The article askes: Does Zelensky’s leadership contribute to the field of leadership? Do the Zelensky’s files [lessons] provide leadership options for university leaders? The author concludes yes to both research questions. Indeed, this article is not a political statement nor advocacy for any particular position. It is a discussion and analysis of leadership – and not simply for presidents and senior CEO leaders but all leaders within universities and schools, particularly those in educational technology and online digital learning. Education is at a crossroads and it is increasingly clear that institutions of the future must be resilient, adaptive and agile organisations capable of responding rapidly and effectively to societal trends and change. Future-proofing education against uncertainty, change, and complexity is simply not a viable option. Organisations will need a dynamic, humanistic and inspirational approach to leadership centred around empathy, empowerment, engagement and execution. Leaders of digital online learning units and managers of educational technology will need The Zelensky Files as much as chief executives.

Reinterpretacja wizerunku prezydenta Wołodymyra Zełenskiego w polskich memach internetowych w czasie wojny ukraińsko-rosyjskiej

REINTERPRETATION OF THE IMAGE OF PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY IN POLISH INTERNET MEMES DURING THE UKRAINE-RUSSIA WAR The article discusses the online reception of the image of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in 2022. A quantitative-qualitative method was used to analyze 126 internet memes published on the Polish website Kwejk.pl. The analysis of the memes studied showed that the Ukrainian-Russian conflict is simplified to a battle between the leaders of the warring countries. While Volodymyr Zelensky is almost exclusively presented positively by internet users as a hero and a simple, likable person, Russian President Vladimir Putin is his complete opposite – a weak, cowardly and greedy man. By creating and spreading such memes, internet users therefore reinterpret the media images of politicians. The creators of memes become not only commentators, but also participants in political life, having a real impact on public opinion. Internet memes should therefore be treated as a highly valuable informational and image-related tool in the war.

LEADERSHIP LANGUAGE IN THE COURSE OF WAR: FRAMING AND REFRAMING ASPECTS

The article presents a multimodal study of leadership language on the example of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s speeches. The work analyzes how coverage of Zelensky's orations constructs frames of the Ukrainian – Russian war viewing. How media (using a mechanism that allows creating a new psychological frame to expand their perception) reframes the outlooks by imposing a specific interpretation onto events. As a result of both textual and visual analysis of Zelensky's video messages, it is evident that to achieve the communicative goal, the President uses a complex system of argumentation schemes (from the sign “argument from the sign”, by analogy “argument by analogy”, cause-and-effect relationship). Numerous strategic and tactical communicative techniques and tools (metaphors, metonymies, epithets, comparisons, allusions, means of stylistic syntax) aimed at creating a frame of Ukraine and shaping its identity allow his speeches to sound clear and convincing.