Propaganda and metamodern discursive practices: eclectic identity

Abstract

The article presents an interdisciplinary analysis of the transformation of propaganda within the metamodern cultural paradigm at the intersection of communication theory, social philosophy, and psychology. It is argued that, in the contemporary digital environment, propaganda loses its status as a purely instrumental means of manipulation and acquires the features of a structural element of discursive reality, influencing not only the content of information but also the modes of its perception, interpretation, and internalisation. The theoretical foundation of the study is provided by the concept of communicative rationality developed by Jürgen Habermas and its contemporary interpretations, which makes it possible to relate the normative ideal of discursive practice to the hybrid nature of present-day communicative processes. It is demonstrated that, under conditions of metamodernity, the boundaries between discursive and non-discursive forms of communication become increasingly blurred, facilitating the integration of propagandistic elements into everyday practices of cultural interaction. A typology of communicative practices associated with propaganda is proposed (rational-discursive, strategic, affective-symbolic, algorithmically modulated, and ironic-metamodern), and their role in the formation of eclectic identity is identified. It is substantiated that eclecticism functions as an adaptive mode of organising subjectivity under conditions of multiplicity and contradiction within information flows, while simultaneously entailing risks of fragmentation and a decline in critical reflexivity. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the potential for the inversional use of hostile propaganda as a resource for enhancing the effectiveness of national communication strategies and neutralising manipulative influence. The key mechanisms of such interaction are identified as deconstruction, recontextualisation, and metacommunicative exposure. In the context of the Russo-Ukrainian war, it is argued that the informational dimension of the conflict constitutes a crucial factor in the formation of collective identity and social mobilisation. The study concludes that the complete elimination of propagandistic connotations from contemporary discourse is unattainable, thereby necessitating their reflexive regulation.