Ilya Yablokov
Biographic Data
| ID | 932725 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Ilya Yablokov |
| GIVEN NAMES | Ilya |
| FAMILY NAME | Yablokov |
| SIGNATURE | YABLOKOV I |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Leeds |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-7766-8867 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 16 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 110 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 16 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2014 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
From “Putin’s Chef” to Rebel Warlord
This article examines Yevgeny Prigozhin’s transformation from shadowy caterer to rebel warlord, analyzing how his media empire and political fortunes evolved in late-Putin Russia. Using a critical case study with historically grounded, process-oriented analysis, we refine adekvatnost’ as a relational skill that travels from media practice into authoritarian politics, enabling elites to anticipate shifting red lines and turn improvisation into pow…
Broadcasting through the (New) Iron Curtain
The Russo-Ukrainian war and the Kremlin's military censorship have made independent reporting from within Russia impossible. After a few weeks of the conflict, all institutional journalism was forced into exile. Funding sources, access to informants, and the ability to provide objective conflict coverage quickly vanished. Now in exile, Russian journalists have become entirely reliant on donor funding to sustain operations and on new technologies …
Meaning-Making in Times of Trouble
Putin’s Technological Deluge
This study explores techno-populism in Russia as the interweaving of technocratic and populist discourses. Analyzing eight Presidential Addresses to the Federal Assembly (between 2012 and 2020), it maps five themes through which techno-populist discourse manifests itself in the speeches of Vladimir Putin. The central theme of global leadership is supported by themes of preserving “Russian civilization,” maintaining geopolitical influence, praisin…
Russian disinformation finds fertile ground in the West
A brief history of news making in Russia
In this introductory article to our special issue on newsmaking in Russia, we provide a context for how the study of journalism evolved in Russia in contrast to Europe and the US. This brief historical overview helps make sense of the specific trajectory of journalism studies: from normative Cold War perspectives to a highly diverse and vibrant field that considers journalistic agency, the interplay of commercialisation and media control and the …
Russia Today and Conspiracy Theories
The Russian international media outlet Russia Today (RT) has been widely accused in the Western world of producing government propaganda and conspiracy theories. This book explores for the first time the role that conspiracy theories actually play in the network's broadcasts. More than this, it provides the first ever study of how the Russian government engages with conspiracy theories in the international arena, with a particular focus on the us…
Anti-Jewish Conspiracy Theories in Putin’s Russia
This article considers two cases of antisemitic political rhetoric and explores the nature of anti-Jewish conspiracy theories in Putin’s Russia. The author concludes that anti-Jewish conspiracy theories are a somewhat marginalised intellectual product. Unlike anti-Western conspiracy theories – which are a mainstream driver of political discussions, these are rarely used by the Russian political establishment for the pur-poses of political mobilis…
Post-socialist self-censorship
This article argues that today in Central and Eastern Europe self-censorship, journalistic freedom and autonomy are just as severely affected by economic constraints, oligarchic influences and new authoritarianism as they are by their Communist pasts. Either way, journalists know exactly what to report, what to omit and how to advance their careers. This is reminiscent of adekvatnost’; a distinct strategy employed by Russian journalists, who rega…
Self-censorship narrated
Bringing together empirical studies of former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe, this Special Issue explores the relationship between censorship and self-censorship. All the cases under consideration share a history of state-led censorship. Importantly, however, the authors argue that journalism in the former Eastern bloc has developed features similar to those observed in many countries which have never experienced state socialis…
Media Elites in Post-Soviet Russia and their Strategies for Success
Media managers are key in the relations between, on the one side the authorities, to whom they enjoy privileged access, and, on the other side the newsroom, the functioning of which they define. Contrary to the popular view, held both in Russia and abroad, that the Kremlin controls the majority of the country’s media, we argue that media managers have a fair bit of agency and are players in their own rights, able to shape their audiences’ attitud…
Introducing Russia’s Media Aristocracy
This collection of articles deals with the history and the current state of Russia’s media elite. It defines three groups of media elites; owners of media outlets, media managers and prominent journalists. All those groups are under pressure of being agreeable to the Kremlin and pleasing their audiences with their products and output. The Kremlin’s tightened control over the media forced some media professionals out, losing their jobs or emigrati…
From Soviet to Russian Media Managers
Smashing initial hopes for more radical and speedier changes in Russia, elements of the Soviet system of managerial and ideological control proved to be obstinately persistent. Certain practices reminiscent of the informal functioning of the Soviet nomenklatura continue unabated primarily in politics, but also in Russian media. This article argues that nomenklatura practices are still a fixed part in organization management in Russian media today…
Power Lost and Freedom Relinquished
This article seeks a nuanced understanding of the troubled state that Russian journalism finds itself in today. As much as the Kremlin may be blamed as the source of these woes, it cannot be responsible for low ethical standards and lack of solidarity among journalists. This article explores what has hindered the journalistic community from developing stronger ethical standards over the past twenty‐five years. Three significant events in the firs…
Conspiracy Theories as a Russian Public Diplomacy Tool
This article explores the use of conspiracy theories by the Russian international television channel Russia Today ( RT). Based on Mark Fenster's definition of conspiracy theory as a populist theory of power, the article studies the process of how various conspiratorial notions in programmes broadcast by RT legitimise Russian domestic and foreign policies and, in turn, delegitimise policies of the American government. It argues that the conspirato…
Pussy Riot as agent provocateur
This article studies the impact of conspiracy theories on post-Soviet Russian nation-building through the analysis of how the Pussy Riot trial was constructed by the Russian media. Conspiracy theory as a phenomenon is defined as a populist tool for relocation of power among different political actors, which creates identities and boosts social cohesion. This interpretation of conspiracy theories helps investigate how the media constructed the ima…
Conspiracy Theories as a Russian Public Diplomacy Tool
This article explores the use of conspiracy theories by the Russian international television channel Russia Today ( RT). Based on Mark Fenster's definition of conspiracy theory as a populist theory of power, the article studies the process of how various conspiratorial notions in programmes broadcast by RT legitimise Russian domestic and foreign policies and, in turn, delegitimise policies of the American government. It argues that the conspirato…
Pussy Riot as agent provocateur
This article studies the impact of conspiracy theories on post-Soviet Russian nation-building through the analysis of how the Pussy Riot trial was constructed by the Russian media. Conspiracy theory as a phenomenon is defined as a populist tool for relocation of power among different political actors, which creates identities and boosts social cohesion. This interpretation of conspiracy theories helps investigate how the media constructed the ima…
Power Lost and Freedom Relinquished
This article seeks a nuanced understanding of the troubled state that Russian journalism finds itself in today. As much as the Kremlin may be blamed as the source of these woes, it cannot be responsible for low ethical standards and lack of solidarity among journalists. This article explores what has hindered the journalistic community from developing stronger ethical standards over the past twenty‐five years. Three significant events in the firs…
Post-socialist self-censorship
This article argues that today in Central and Eastern Europe self-censorship, journalistic freedom and autonomy are just as severely affected by economic constraints, oligarchic influences and new authoritarianism as they are by their Communist pasts. Either way, journalists know exactly what to report, what to omit and how to advance their careers. This is reminiscent of adekvatnost’; a distinct strategy employed by Russian journalists, who rega…
Self-censorship narrated
Bringing together empirical studies of former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe, this Special Issue explores the relationship between censorship and self-censorship. All the cases under consideration share a history of state-led censorship. Importantly, however, the authors argue that journalism in the former Eastern bloc has developed features similar to those observed in many countries which have never experienced state socialis…
Russian disinformation finds fertile ground in the West
Media Elites in Post-Soviet Russia and their Strategies for Success
Media managers are key in the relations between, on the one side the authorities, to whom they enjoy privileged access, and, on the other side the newsroom, the functioning of which they define. Contrary to the popular view, held both in Russia and abroad, that the Kremlin controls the majority of the country’s media, we argue that media managers have a fair bit of agency and are players in their own rights, able to shape their audiences’ attitud…
Broadcasting through the (New) Iron Curtain
The Russo-Ukrainian war and the Kremlin's military censorship have made independent reporting from within Russia impossible. After a few weeks of the conflict, all institutional journalism was forced into exile. Funding sources, access to informants, and the ability to provide objective conflict coverage quickly vanished. Now in exile, Russian journalists have become entirely reliant on donor funding to sustain operations and on new technologies …
From Soviet to Russian Media Managers
Smashing initial hopes for more radical and speedier changes in Russia, elements of the Soviet system of managerial and ideological control proved to be obstinately persistent. Certain practices reminiscent of the informal functioning of the Soviet nomenklatura continue unabated primarily in politics, but also in Russian media. This article argues that nomenklatura practices are still a fixed part in organization management in Russian media today…
Pussy Riot as agent provocateur
This article studies the impact of conspiracy theories on post-Soviet Russian nation-building through the analysis of how the Pussy Riot trial was constructed by the Russian media. Conspiracy theory as a phenomenon is defined as a populist tool for relocation of power among different political actors, which creates identities and boosts social cohesion. This interpretation of conspiracy theories helps investigate how the media constructed the ima…
Conspiracy Theories as a Russian Public Diplomacy Tool
This article explores the use of conspiracy theories by the Russian international television channel Russia Today ( RT). Based on Mark Fenster's definition of conspiracy theory as a populist theory of power, the article studies the process of how various conspiratorial notions in programmes broadcast by RT legitimise Russian domestic and foreign policies and, in turn, delegitimise policies of the American government. It argues that the conspirato…
Media Elites in Post-Soviet Russia and their Strategies for Success
Media managers are key in the relations between, on the one side the authorities, to whom they enjoy privileged access, and, on the other side the newsroom, the functioning of which they define. Contrary to the popular view, held both in Russia and abroad, that the Kremlin controls the majority of the country’s media, we argue that media managers have a fair bit of agency and are players in their own rights, able to shape their audiences’ attitud…
Introducing Russia’s Media Aristocracy
This collection of articles deals with the history and the current state of Russia’s media elite. It defines three groups of media elites; owners of media outlets, media managers and prominent journalists. All those groups are under pressure of being agreeable to the Kremlin and pleasing their audiences with their products and output. The Kremlin’s tightened control over the media forced some media professionals out, losing their jobs or emigrati…
From Soviet to Russian Media Managers
Smashing initial hopes for more radical and speedier changes in Russia, elements of the Soviet system of managerial and ideological control proved to be obstinately persistent. Certain practices reminiscent of the informal functioning of the Soviet nomenklatura continue unabated primarily in politics, but also in Russian media. This article argues that nomenklatura practices are still a fixed part in organization management in Russian media today…
Power Lost and Freedom Relinquished
This article seeks a nuanced understanding of the troubled state that Russian journalism finds itself in today. As much as the Kremlin may be blamed as the source of these woes, it cannot be responsible for low ethical standards and lack of solidarity among journalists. This article explores what has hindered the journalistic community from developing stronger ethical standards over the past twenty‐five years. Three significant events in the firs…
Anti-Jewish Conspiracy Theories in Putin’s Russia
This article considers two cases of antisemitic political rhetoric and explores the nature of anti-Jewish conspiracy theories in Putin’s Russia. The author concludes that anti-Jewish conspiracy theories are a somewhat marginalised intellectual product. Unlike anti-Western conspiracy theories – which are a mainstream driver of political discussions, these are rarely used by the Russian political establishment for the pur-poses of political mobilis…
Post-socialist self-censorship
This article argues that today in Central and Eastern Europe self-censorship, journalistic freedom and autonomy are just as severely affected by economic constraints, oligarchic influences and new authoritarianism as they are by their Communist pasts. Either way, journalists know exactly what to report, what to omit and how to advance their careers. This is reminiscent of adekvatnost’; a distinct strategy employed by Russian journalists, who rega…
Self-censorship narrated
Bringing together empirical studies of former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe, this Special Issue explores the relationship between censorship and self-censorship. All the cases under consideration share a history of state-led censorship. Importantly, however, the authors argue that journalism in the former Eastern bloc has developed features similar to those observed in many countries which have never experienced state socialis…
A brief history of news making in Russia
In this introductory article to our special issue on newsmaking in Russia, we provide a context for how the study of journalism evolved in Russia in contrast to Europe and the US. This brief historical overview helps make sense of the specific trajectory of journalism studies: from normative Cold War perspectives to a highly diverse and vibrant field that considers journalistic agency, the interplay of commercialisation and media control and the …
Russia Today and Conspiracy Theories
The Russian international media outlet Russia Today (RT) has been widely accused in the Western world of producing government propaganda and conspiracy theories. This book explores for the first time the role that conspiracy theories actually play in the network's broadcasts. More than this, it provides the first ever study of how the Russian government engages with conspiracy theories in the international arena, with a particular focus on the us…
Russian disinformation finds fertile ground in the West
Putin’s Technological Deluge
This study explores techno-populism in Russia as the interweaving of technocratic and populist discourses. Analyzing eight Presidential Addresses to the Federal Assembly (between 2012 and 2020), it maps five themes through which techno-populist discourse manifests itself in the speeches of Vladimir Putin. The central theme of global leadership is supported by themes of preserving “Russian civilization,” maintaining geopolitical influence, praisin…
Broadcasting through the (New) Iron Curtain
The Russo-Ukrainian war and the Kremlin's military censorship have made independent reporting from within Russia impossible. After a few weeks of the conflict, all institutional journalism was forced into exile. Funding sources, access to informants, and the ability to provide objective conflict coverage quickly vanished. Now in exile, Russian journalists have become entirely reliant on donor funding to sustain operations and on new technologies …
Meaning-Making in Times of Trouble
From “Putin’s Chef” to Rebel Warlord
This article examines Yevgeny Prigozhin’s transformation from shadowy caterer to rebel warlord, analyzing how his media empire and political fortunes evolved in late-Putin Russia. Using a critical case study with historically grounded, process-oriented analysis, we refine adekvatnost’ as a relational skill that travels from media practice into authoritarian politics, enabling elites to anticipate shifting red lines and turn improvisation into pow…
Political science (14 works) · Law (11 works) · Politics (11 works) · Sociology (11 works) · Law (9 works) · Media Studies and Communication (7 works) · Media studies (6 works) · Political economy (6 works) · Power (physics (5 works) · Historical Geopolitical and Social Dynamics (4 works)