Abstract
The period from 2020 to 2025 proved to be a time of heightened uncertainty for Russia, which may be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, political instability, and the ensuing economic crisis. Under conditions of uncertainty, individuals often seek refuge in the spiritual sphere. Over the past five years, the level of religiosity among Russians has significantly increased. Additionally, esotericism has gained popularity, as evidenced by the growing number of search queries on this topic. Despite the fact that contemporary Russia is characterized by a tendency toward mixed religiosity, the Orthodox institution in Russia seeks to distinguish between Orthodoxy and esotericism in the public sphere, employing specific rhetoric for this purpose. The theoretical framework of this study draws on works devoted to framing theory, the sociology of esoteric culture, and the sociology of religion. The purpose of this research is to identify the frames within which esotericism is covered in Russian Orthodox media from 2020 to 2025. Data extraction was conducted in February 2025. The study employs a mixed methodology, applying qualitative and quantitative content analysis of media publications, as well as topic modeling. Through analysis of 377 publications, eight frames of esotericism in Russian Orthodox media were identified for the specified period: danger, sinful teaching, false doctrine, political conflict, primitivism, exotic teaching, cultural identity violation, and criminalization. The sociological significance of this research lies in expanding scientific knowledge about how the attitude of the Russian Orthodox institution toward esotericism manifests in Orthodox media rhetoric.
Presenters
Maria ZharakhovichIntern Researcher, Social Policy Institute, Higher School of Economics, Russian Federation
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Orthodoxy, Esotericism, Framing Theory, Media Analysis, Religious Discourse
