This phenomenon — “black PR” (chernyi piar) — emerged in the 1990s and has over time become a centralised and systematised feature of the authoritarian kleptocracy that Vladimir Putin has built since his rise to power in 2000. But, in contrast to the 1990s, when it was largely used in politics, since 2000 black PR has been used across all aspects of life, most notably in business.

Accordingly, “black PR” has spread to wherever there are Russian financial and business interests, including London, with sometimes devastating consequences.

The Henry Jackson Society is delighted to invite you to a discussion with Bob Seely MP, David Satter, and Dr Jade McGlynn to discuss the deeply troubling ramifications of the spread of this form of ‘dezinformatisya’ into our national discourse, and what can be done to ensure that Russian disinformation can be resisted before it causes serious damage.

Jade holds a DPhil in Russian from the University of Oxford, where she also gained her BA in Russian and Spanish. She also has a Masters by Research from the University of Birmingham. Her DPhil examined how the Russian government have used the politics of memory and national identity to legitimise Russian foreign and domestic policy. She is currently preparing a manuscript based on this research for publication in 2021, entitled Making History Great Again: The Politics of Memory and Belonging in Contemporary Russia. Jade has also published her research as articles, chapters, and reports in leading academic journals, collected volumes, and think tanks.

Prior to joining HJS, Jade worked as a Lecturer and Research Assistant at the University of Oxford, teaching papers in Russian language and literature, as well as courses on History as part of Oxford University’s new access outreach programme (Opportunity Oxford). She has also held fellowships and research positions at the University of Birmingham, University of Voronezh (Russia), and Middlebury Institute of International Relations in Monterrey.

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EVENT SUMMARY

HJS were thrilled to host three excellent speakers and sources of knowledge on the panel to discuss the dark Russian practice of ‘Black PR’, its historical role in Russian foreign policy and it’s implications for the UK.

Chaired by HJS Director of Communications, Sam Armstrong, the panellists discussed ‘Black PR’ its evolution across Russian history and its development over the Putin era.

Finally, the panel reviewed the implications of ‘Black PR’s existence in British media discourse, and what more can be done to increase institutional resilience to a pervasive security threat in the aftermath of Brexit.

Of particular note was the analysis from MP Bob Seely, who sits on the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, who reminded the panel and audience of the Russian practice of ‘dezinformatisya’ and how ‘Black PR’ was an effective and potent method of destroying the reputations of the rivals of the Russian state.