PHILOSOPHY OF GEOPOLITICS: MYTHS AND MANIPULATIONS
Abstract
This article explores the phenomenon of geopolitical myth as a powerful tool for influencing mass consciousness in the context of modern hybrid conflicts. The author analyzes how mythological narratives transform perceptions of space, identity, and history, serving as a means of legitimizing political decisions, violence, and war. Using the case of the Russian-Ukrainian war, the article examines how myths of "anti-fascist struggle", "protection of Russian-speaking populations", or "sacred unity" are used to justify aggression, mobilize society, and symbolically occupy the information space. Emphasis is placed on the fact that geopolitical myth is not an obsolete phenomenon — on the contrary, in the digital age, it is renewed and proliferates through media, education, and culture. The article analyzes mechanisms of mythological manipulation, institutional reproduction of myth, and its role in shaping national identity. It argues that geopolitical myth should be considered not only as propaganda but as a deep symbolic code that influences a society’s capacity for critical thinking. The research is based on an interdisciplinary methodology combining philosophical-anthropological analysis, critical geopolitics, and cultural studies. Special attention is given to the Ukrainian context — both as a target of external symbolic pressure and as a site of resistance and the construction of an alternative postcolonial identity. The article concludes by calling for the deconstruction of geopolitical myths and the creation of a public space capable of sustaining plurality, reflection, and resilience against manipulatio.
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References
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