G. A. Savchuk, I. B. Britvina, V. A. Frants. Cultural Rapprochement of Russians and Students from the Countries of Central Asia as a Result of the Impact of “Soft Powerˮ of the Higher Education System

UDК 378.1:327.8-057.87

DOI: 10.15507/2413-1407.113.028.202004.823-842

Introduction. The cultural rapprochement between Russia and the countries of Central Asian that are members of global alliances is facilitated by various social institutions, including the system of higher education. The article is of relevance as it analyzes the system of higher education in the context of cross-country interactions in terms of the theory of “soft power”. The purpose of the study is to assess the potential of higher education system as an element of “soft power” of the country in the cultural rapprochement of students from Central Asia and Russians.

Materials and Methods. The study was conducted in April–June 2019 using the method of in-depth interview in Ekaterinburg, a Russian megalopolis with a high concentration of universities, attractive for educational migration from the countries of Central Asia in terms of geographical location and economic development. Twenty-two students and ten graduates of Ekaterinburg universities who came from this region were interviewed. The technique of typical case sampling was employed.

Results. The following results of the impact of “soft power” of the system of higher education have been revealed: in the course of training, attractiveness of Russia, as the country of residence for students from the Central-Asian region, increases; the majority of students have chosen such a strategy of acculturation as integration into the host community; the education system has promoted specific cultural mechanisms for integration of migrants into the host community.

Discussion and Conclusion. The obtained results make it is possible to assert, that the collective efforts of universities to increase their attractiveness for applicants and students from the Central-Asian region have promoted their loyalty to Russia as a whole, have affected further migratory plans, associated with residing in Russia, of a considerable part of students, and promote their cultural integration into the host community. The results may be useful for regional scientists to understand the opportunities and limitations of a deeper cultural rapprochement between people of different cultural background.

Keywords: higher education, educational migration, university student, Russia, Central Asia, cultural rapprochement, soft power, integration

Funding. The article was done with the financial support from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research as part of the scientific project No. 19-011-00471.

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

For citation: Savchuk G.A., Britvina I.B., Frants V.A. Cultural Rapprochement of Russians and Students from the Countries of Central Asia as a Result of the Impact of “Soft Powerˮ of the Higher Education System. Regionology = Russian Journal of Regional Studies. 2020; 28(4):823-842. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15507/2413-1407.113.028.202004.823-842

References

1. Akaliyski P. United in Diversity? The Convergence of Cultural Values among EU Member States and Candidates. European Journal of Political Research. 2018; 58(2):388-411. (In Eng.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6765.12285

2. McClory J. Soft Power 30: A Global Ranking of Soft Power 2019. London: Portland, USC Center on Public Diplomacy; 2019. Available at: https://softpower30.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/The-Soft-Power-30-Report-2019-1.pdf (accessed 03.03.2020). (In Eng.)

3. Nye J. Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics. New York: Public Affairs Group; 2004. Available at: https://www.amazon.com/Soft-Power-Means-Success-Politics/dp/1586483064 (accessed 03.03.2020). (In Eng.)

4. Hopf T. Common-Sense Constructivism and Hegemony in World Politics. International Organization. 2013; 67(3):317-354. (In Eng.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0020818313000040

5. Atkinson C. Does Soft Power Matter? A Comparative Analysis of Student Exchange Programs 1960–2006. Foreign Policy Analysis. 2010; 6(1):1-22. (In Eng.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-8594.2009.00099.x

6. Altbach P.G. Franchising: The McDonaldization of Higher Education. International Higher Education. 2012; 66:7-8. (In Eng.) DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6017/ihe.2012.66.8582

7. McGill Peterson P. Diplomacy and Education: A Changing Global Landscape. International Higher Education. 2014; 75:2-3. (In Eng.) DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6017/ihe.2014.75.5410

8. Knight G. Moving from Soft Power to Knowledge Diplomacy. International Higher Education. 2015; 80:8-9. (In Eng.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.6017/ihe.2015.80.6135

9. Lukes S. Power and the Battle for Hearts and Minds: On the Bluntness of Soft Power. In: Power in World Politics. New York: Routledge; 2007. p. 83-97. (In Eng.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203944691

10. Wojciuk A., Michaіek M. Education as a Source and Tool of Soft Power in International Relations. European Political Science. 2015; 14(3):1-20. (In Eng.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/eps.2015.25

11. Ifantis K. Soft Power: Overcoming the Limits of the Concept. In: Routledge Handbook of Diplomacy and Statecraft. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge; 2012. p. 441-452. Available at: https://www.routledge.com/Routledge-Handbook-of-Diplomacy-and-Statecraft/McKercher/p/book/9780415781107 (accessed 03.03.2020). (In Eng.)

12. Seiichi K. Wielding Soft Power: The Key Stages of Transmission and Reception. In: Soft Power Superpowers: Cultural and National Assets of Japan and the United States. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge; 2015. p. 191-206. Available at: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781315700700/chapters/10.4324/9781315700700-23 (accessed 03.03.2020). (In Eng.)

13. Xiangping L. A New Understanding of “Soft Power”. In: On China’s Cultural Transformation. Leiden: Brill; 2016. p. 295-315. Available at: https://www.amazon.com/Cultural-Transformation-Contemporary-Chinese-Thought/dp/9004308873 (accessed 03.03.2020). (In Eng.)

14. Vyas U. Soft Power in Japan-China Relations: State, Sub-State and Non-State Relations. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge; 2011. (In Eng.) DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203835791

15. Pestsov S.K., Bobylo A.M. “Soft Power” in Contemporary World Politics: Theoretical Concept Operationalization Issue. Vestnik Tomskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Istoriya = Tomsk State University Journal of History. 2015; (2):108-114. (In Russ., abstract in Eng.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.17223/19988613/34/18

16. Huntington S.Ph. The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. New York, NY: Simon & Shuster; 2011. Available at: https://www.amazon.com/Clash-Civilizations-Remaking-World-Order/dp/1451628978 (accessed 03.03.2020). (In Eng.)

17. Schröder Ph., Stephan-Emmrich M. The Institutionalization of Mobility: Well-being and Social Hierarchies in Central Asian Translocal Livelihoods. Mobilities. 2016; 11(3):420-443. (In Eng.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17450101.2014.984939

18. Berry J.W. Theories and Models of Acculturation. In: Oxford Handbook of Acculturation and Health. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2017. p. 15-28. (In Eng.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190215217.013.2

19. Berry J.W. Acculturation: A Personal Journey across Cultures. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2019. (In Eng.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108589666

20. Roblain A., Azzi A.E., Licata L. Why Do Majority Members Prefer Immigrants Who Adopt the Host Culture? The Role of Perceived Identification with the Host Nation. International Journal of Intercultural Relations. 2016; 55:44-54. (In Eng.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2016.08.001

21. Ganta V. Measuring the Integration of Migrant Workers Abroad. Moldova: Research Report 2013/35. San Domenico di Fiesole: European University Institute; 2013. Available at: https://docplayer.ru/50459409-Izmerenie-integracii-trudovyh-migrantov-za-granicey-moldova.html (accessed 30.03.2020). (In Russ.)

22. Esser H. Migration, Language and Integration: AKI Research Review 4. Berlin: AKI, WZB, 2006. Available at: https://bibliothek.wzb.eu/pdf/2006/iv06-akibilanz4b.pdf (accessed 01.02.2020).

23. Qi Yu., Di D., Tabouguia Kamgaing Ch. Cross-Cultural Adaptation Issues and Strategies for Cameroonian Students in China. Journal of African Media Studies. 2019; 11(3):395-414. (In Eng.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1386/jams_00007_1

24. Macionis N., Walters G., Kwok E. International Tertiary Student Experience in Australia: A Singaporean Perspective. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education. 2019; 25. (In Eng.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhlste.2018.10.002

25. Tarchi Ch., Surian A., Daiute C. Assessing Study Abroad Students’ Intercultural Sensitivity with Narratives. European Journal of Psychology of Education. 2019; 34:873-894. (In Eng.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-019-00417-9

26. Swanson M.K., Swanson B.A. Faculty Placement Strategies for International Higher Education Institutes: A Cultural Values Perspective. Journal of International Education in Business. 2019; 12(2):212-227. (In Eng.) DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1108/JIEB-10-2018-0044

27. Buchanan F.R. International Student Perceptions of Experience in the West. Journal of International Education in Business. 2019; 12(2):147-166. (In Eng.) DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1108/JIEB-06-2018-0021

28. Jin L., Schneider J. Faculty Views on International Students: A Survey Study. Journal of International Students. 2019; 9(1):84-99. (In Eng.) DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v9i1.268

29. Soliman S., Anchor J.A., Taylor D. The International Strategies of Universities: Deliberate or Emergent? Studies in Higher Education. 2019; 44(8):1413-1424. (In Eng.) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2018.1445985

Submitted 15.09.2020; accepted for publication 19.10.2020; published online 30.12.2020.

About the authors:

Galina A. Savchuk, Head of the Department of Integrated Marketing Communications and Branding, Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B. N. Yeltsin (19 Mira St., Ekaterinburg 620002, Russia), Ph. D. (Sociology), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2980-8970, galina.savchuk@urfu.ru

Irina B. Britvina, Professor, Department of Integrated Marketing Communications and Branding, Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B. N. Yeltsin (19 Mira St., Ekaterinburg 620002, Russia), Dr. Sci. (Sociology), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2862-4408, irina.britvina@urfu.ru

Valeria A. Frants, Associate Professor, Department of Integrated Marketing Communications and Branding, Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B. N. Yeltsin (19 Mira St., Ekaterinburg 620002, Russia), Ph. D. (Political Science), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3730-445X, v.a.frantc@urfu.ru

Contribution of the authors:

Galina A. Savchuk – initiation of the research and collection of material; choice and elaboration of research methodology; data analysis.

Irina B. Britvina – identification of the main ways to solve the research problem; elaboration of the research methodology; data structuring and analysis.

Valeria A. Frants – critical analysis of literary sources; systematization of the main ways, presented in literary sources, to solve the research problem.

The authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

To download article