Description
Viewing Russia’s divergent recognition practices during/after Kosovo 2008 merely as an effort to subvert the West underestimates the influence of norms and identity on foreign policy. This study aims to investigate how identity, instead of power politics, accounts for the differences in Russia’s recognition policies in Kosovo (2008) and Crimea (2014). The study asks: “What accounts for the differences in Russia’s recognition policy in Kosovo (2008) and Crimea (2014)?” The two sub-questions are: Which factors affect Russia’s recognition discourse? and Is there a shift in Russia’s recognition discourse in Kosovo (2008) and Crimea (2014)? I argue that a shift in Russia’s ethical construction of identity between Kosovo (2008) and Crimea (2014) led Russia to focus more on its moral responsibility due to the presence of human rights violations in the international community when determining recognition foreign policy decisions. The structure analyzes discourses during Kosovo (2008) and Crimea (2014) to examine the shifts in Russia’s identity construction. As witnessed in the research paper, the Russian ethical construction of identity is different in the Kosovo (2008) case and in the Crimea (2014) case. The study builds on the literature on norm shifts, international law, and identity construction and adds to the literature on Russia’s identity, recognition practices, and understanding of norms. The study contributes to a more informed understanding of Russia’s foreign policy discourse and recognition practice.
