ANTI-INTELLECTUALISM AS A POPULIST MEDIA STRATEGY IN THE CONTEXT OF RUSSIA’S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE

Abstract

This article explores anti-intellectualism as a key media strategy within populist discourse during Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. We examine anti-intellectualism not only as a sociocultural phenomenon typical of societies in crisis but also as a deliberate political tool actively employed in the information war to discredit knowledge institutions, erode trust in the scientific community, delegitimize expert knowledge, and undermine independent journalism. Under conditions of hybrid aggression, anti-intellectualism serves as part of broader strategies aimed at manipulating public opinion, polarizing society, dismantling critical thinking, and weakening democratic dialogue. The purpose of the article is to provide a comprehensive analysis of anti-intellectualism as a populist media strategy within the information-psychological dimension of hybrid warfare. The main objectives include identifying common anti-intellectual narratives in media discourse, revealing the technologies used for their dissemination, assessing the impact of these strategies on public consciousness, and comparing the Ukrainian context with global trends in the spread of anti-intellectualism. The methodological framework involves media content analysis, critical discourse analysis, case study examination, and comparative methods, which enable the identification of both local and transnational manifestations of the phenomenon. The analysis focuses on the activities of pseudo-experts, populist politicians, and certain media outlets that promote simplified, emotionally charged messages, thereby constructing an alternative informational reality detached from facts and logical argumentation. Particular attention is given to the wartime use of such strategies to influence public sentiment, foster mistrust in expert knowledge, and weaken social cohesion. The conclusions emphasize that countering anti-intellectualism should become a key component of information security policy, which includes advancing scientific communication, supporting high-quality journalism, promoting media literacy, and strengthening critical thinking within society.