Organised by the War Studies Department and the Russian and Eurasian Security Research Group.

This presentation discusses how communication about the Silk Road metaphor - used for the promotion of China’s Belt and Road Initiative - encounters challenges as a result of a complex media environment. It draws the audience’s attention to China’s reuse and reimagination of the Silk Road narrative, in light of the complex visual landscape that gives meaning to Eurasia. Connecting ‘strategic narrative’ and ‘place-image’ literature, the analysis draws attention to the possibilities and challenges of ‘visuality’ in political communication. Participation in an interpretivist ‘game’ (interpreting socially constructed ‘reality’) is subsequently encouraged in the discussion, taking into consideration the audience’s personal media environment.

Dr Carolijn van Noort is lecturer in Public Policy and Politics, School of Media, Culture & Society, at the University of the West of Scotland (London campus). She carries out research in the areas of strategic narratives, rising powers and infrastructural development using qualitative research methods. In particular, she employs a narrativist lens to study narrative formation and narrative contestation. Her research encompasses the strategic narratives of the BRICS and the strategic narratives of the One Belt One Road Initiative and its reception in Central Asia.

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