Resurrection of the Russian Orthodox Church: Narrative of Analysis of the Russian National Myth^*

Abstract

Objective. The following research is a qualitative and narrative analysis aimed at understanding Russia's recent emphasis on the importance of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) to discover the narrative frameworks on national myth put forth by authoritarian regimes help maintain state legitimacy. Methods. The researchers utilized the M3S open-source intelligence platform at Texas A&M University to analyze the news coverage events on the state-controlled broadcast media Rossiya24 from November 30, 2014 to November 30, 2015. Results. The researchers found four narrative components utilized as part of the national myth discourse: the reconciliation of the ROC and the Russian state, ROC as the unifier of all Slavic people, ROC and Russian moral authority, and ROC and the Russian citizen. Conclusion. This case study on national legitimacy demonstrates opportunities for communication scholarship to offer points of impact for policymakers.