What to Make of Strategic Narratives in International Relations? – An Integrated Framework for Strategic Narrative Analysis and the Study of France’s Protracted Military Intervention in the Sahel [védés előtt]

Kivonat, rövid leírás

Dissertation Abstract This dissertation contributes to the literature on strategic narratives in international relations, as well as to the literature of strategic communication in protracted foreign military interventions, with empirical results on France’s military intervention in the Sahel from 2012 to 2022. I argue, that to overcome the problem of fuzzy theorizing and selective analytical practices connected to the concept of strategic narrative in International Relations, a new conceptual framework is needed based on interdisciplinary foundations. My key finding is that such a framework can be built based on the hermeneutical cycle of Paul Ricoeur, as I propose an Integrated Framework which integrates narratology perspectives; highlights focus on the mind-narrative nexus; balances emphasis on semiotic as well as non-semiotic aspects through a cyclic understanding of narrative figuration and incorporates framing theories together with perspectives on the persuasive capacity of strategic narratives. The dissertation also found that contrary to mainstream assumptions in the literature, gain frames are not dominant in strategic narratives of protracted military interventions, as the use of loss and gain framing is tailored to the evolving dynamics of politico-military realities. Contrary to the assumption that framing practices would solely strengthen the persuasive capacity of strategic narratives, results show that framing tasks and frame alignment practices have a mixed impact. While diagnostic and motivational framing tasks generally strengthen, prognostic frames can challenge narrative probability in a protracted military intervention. While frame alignment practices can increase narrative fidelity and narrative probability, using them excessively to cover inconsistencies harms narrative probability by decreasing narrative clarity. Applying the Integrated Framework, the dissertation presents new empirical results on France’s military intervention in the Sahel from 2012 to 2022. France’s strategic narrative resonated with preexisting interpretive structures of French master narratives, political myths, and national role concept. The narrative attempted to fade cognitive priors of colonialism and France’s unilateral intervention policy through consolidating the ‘rupture’ narrative, but over the course of the protracted intervention, diminishing resonance with the ‘rupture’ narrative reinforced cognitive priors. Prospect framing was tailored to politico-military developments of the intervention, with loss frames underlining the need for France’s new or continuous engagement even amid progressing operational realties; and gain frames were preferred when operational realities challenged prospects of France’s position in the region. While diagnostic frames were consistent, clear and focused in the narrative, the use of prognostic frames was confusing, decreasing narrative probability. Moreover, several contradictions challenged narrative consistency, while certain frame alignment practices (such as frame extension and frame transformation) decreased narrative clarity, ultimately harming narrative probability. Coherence of narrative projection was supported by France’s semi-presidential system, although bureaucratic politics and France’s parallel public policy narrative on Africa weakened it. Congruence with French security policy objective contributed to narrative probability, but incongruence with structural realities of French economic and geopolitical interests challenged narrative congruence as the intervention prolonged. The mediated environment also challenged narrative probability through the emergence of numerous counternarratives. While problems with the narrative’s coherence and congruence, weak operational results and local cognitive priors fuelled counternarratives, external actors also boosted them by amplifying anti-colonialist and anti-French frames, fuelling narrative contestation.