Historical dynamics of metaphoric systems in Russian political communication

Abstract

The paper investigates the drives for stability and change in the history of Russian political metaphors. It compares Russian and international techniques applied to studying history of political metaphors. The paper depicts the Russian researchers' contribution to the theory and methods of researching political metaphorics, as well as to the theory and practice of historical metaphorology. The coauthors come to the conclusion that the arsenal of contemporary Russian political metaphors represents a complex system that emerged from centuries of evolution as a result of interplay between the drives for stability and change, for preservation of cultural distinctiveness and interaction with other cultures. The study draws a distinction between the periods of "metaphoric storms" and "metaphoric calms" in the history of Russian political metaphor.