The ideological production, policy outcomes and practices of wartime Putinism (WARPUT)

For much of the post-Cold War era, ideology was not perceived to be central to hybrid forms of authoritarian rule. 21st century autocracies were characterised as relying on modern political technologies and prioritising money and power over ideas and values. Yet, with the fraying of the liberal international order and new assertiveness of authoritarian powers, illiberal sovereignist ideologies are increasingly driving global politics.

The project studies a critical case of illiberal ideologization – Putin’s Russia during wartime. WARPUT generates empirically based arguments about the

changing nature of ideological production, policies and practices in Russia. Based on analysis of policy documents, state discourse, legislative processes, social media channels and ethnographic observations, WARPUT scrutinises the role of ideologization in wartime transformation on three levels of analysis: (1) Macro: regime discourse; (2) Meso: ideological legislation; (3) Micro: social practices.

WARPUT is implemented by the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), the University of Bremen (Germany) and the University of Jyväskylä (Finland) and is based on close collaboration with exiled Russian social scientists in Europe.

The project is funded by the Research Council of Norway under the Young Research Talents funding scheme.

Colloquium, FES-Zentrale Berlin, 11th May, 2026:

Inside Wartime Putinism: Ideology, Elites, Regions and Society during Russia’s War of Attrition

Symposium in Belgrade 21st March 2026:

Ideology and Interregnum during the War in Ukraine: Sovereignism, Liberalism, the Struggle for Order