Content Analysis as a Way to Identify the Geopolitical Orientation of Subjects of International Relations (Using the Example of the Civil War in Yemen)

Abstract

Any subject of international relations is a potential ally of one of the superpowers. Sometimes traditional analysis does not allow to understand which one. Then a content analysis of the press language can come to the aid of traditional analysis. The language of the press is considered as an expression of collective consciousness, and its features — as an expression of collective unconscious. Collective consciousness and collective unconscious belong to a certain social group. This approach is based on the Marxist, Durkheim and Habermas traditions. A certain media may focus on national interest, or may not, as it may express social group values incompatible with that orientation. If a media that focuses on national interests sympathizes with a subject of international relations, such a subject is a potential ally of the country to which the media belongs, and vice versa. Whether the media sympathizes with a certain subject of international relations is revealed using content analysis.

In this study, the Yemeni movement Ansar Alla (Houthis) was chosen as a subject of international relations with an ambiguous geopolitical orientation, the newspaper “Izvestia” which focus on the national interests and the newspaper “Gazeta.ru” which does not focus on the national interests was chosen as a mass media. Using content analysis, it was concluded that “Izvestia” sympathizes with Houthis, and “Gazeta.ru” treats the Houthis negatively. On the basis of the assumption that the language of the press expresses the true interests of the social group, it was concluded that the Houthis are a potential ally of Russia.