“Fields of Ideas” for Science Diplomacy in the context of Russian “Pivot to East”

Abstract

The crisis in Russian relations with the West has become a key trigger for a real “Pivot to East” in Russian foreign policy. The new edition of the Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation, approved by the Decree of the President of Russia dated March 31, 2023, proclaims and describes this turn in sufficient detail, expanding the space for scientific diplomacy within the framework of international humanitarian cooperation. This space is filled with “fields of ideas” that are formed within the framework of the relationship of the expert community with decision makers within the country and with foreign colleagues and partners. These “fields of ideas” are currently rather poorly organized “exhibitions of ideas” than “markets of ideas”, where their active production and exchange takes place. The study of the reasons for this using the tools of institutional constructivism, discursive institutionalism and “institutional logic” allowed us to identify the problems of their functioning and possible prospects for development. The latter require the active development of Russian and international “fields of ideas” within the framework of scientific diplomacy in a competitive format, while being ready to compete with both Western and “non-Western” actors. On the way of such transformation, there may be several institutional traps and dead ends, on the successful overcoming of which the success of such a transformation will depend.