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, praising military power, and the prospect of a high-tech future. This research contributes to a better understanding of the emergence and usage of the techno-populist antinomic prima facie.