The Image of the West as a Civilizational Antipode in the History of Russian Ideological Self-Representation

Aim. To develop approaches for reinterpreting the image of the West based on Russia’s historical experience of opposing Western civilization and its current value-based worldview positioning. Methodology. The methodological foundation of the study is the combination of civilizational, discursive, and dichotomous approaches. The civilizational approach is used to examine Russia’s conflict with the West as a civilizational clash; the discursive approach focuses on the history of Russian social self-reflection; and the dichotomous approach investigates attitudes toward Western civilization through the dichotomy of good and evil. Results. The study analyzes the perception of the West in Russian self-awareness throughout Russian history. Four historical stages of ideological representation of the West are identified. Approaches to reinterpreting the phenomenon of the West based on civilizational theory are proposed. Research implications. The results of the study can be utilized in shaping social and humanitarian paradigms for Russia’s new worldview development and applied in the educational process.