Department of Politics and International Studies

Sofiya Ihnativ

BA (Hons), International Studies (2026)

"Divergent Portrayals of the Russia-Ukraine War Across Ukrainian, Russian, and American News Media"

Dr. Simon Granovsky-Larsen, supervisor

Violent conflicts receive worldwide attention through constant news media coverage. The portrayals that stem from these coverages differ from country to country, influencing the perceptions and views of their respective audiences. This is made possible by the use of specific frames and strategic narratives employed by the media as part of a country’s soft power capabilities and information warfare. The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, presents a powerful example of the substantive mediation that wars receive in the contemporary world. This research study explores the divergences of the war’s portrayals between the conflicting sides, Ukraine and Russia, as well as of the United States, and the apparent political objective that emerge from these portrayals. The reporting on the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant dam that occurred on June 6, 2023, was examined to understand how each country’s news media presented the broader war. The study used the summative qualitative content analysis of 199 articles and critical discourse analysis of three representative articles, in their original languages. Divergent frames of nationalism, propaganda, and pro-Ukraine were found to be employed by each country, revealing apparent political objectives of preservation of a geopolitical image, promotion of international support, delegitimization of an enemy, and consolidation of national unity. This implies that the news media is strategically used by nation-states, and therefore information should be critically assessed to understand underlying meanings and objectives.

Matthew McStravick

BA (Hons), Political Science with a minor in International Studies (2026)

"Developing a Canadian Grand Strategy to meet the Multipolar Moment: A Prescriptive Policy Analysis"

Dr. Martin Hewson, supervisor

This paper aims to develop an understanding of the logic underpinning Canadian grand strategy approaches aimed at reducing or eliminating dependency on the United States of America. Due to the recency of the Canadian strategic pivot in practice, it draws primarily upon explorations of news media and elite discourse to draw conclusions as to both the strategy currently being pursued and alternatives that may exist to achieve the same core outcome (De-Americanization). Two strategic models are accordingly established and defined, before being explored in depth and applied to discussion of several issue areas. Reflection on the viability of either model, the first emerging from Prime Minister Mark Carney’s articulations and the second from critical responses, produces a consistent set of identifiable strengths and weaknesses. While the current model being pursued by the Prime Minister is easier to implement and entails less immediate risk, it exposes Canada to greater structural vulnerability and preserves reliance on Western apparatuses with uncertain futures. Conversely, while a more decisive break from existing policy and reorientation towards an approach more adapted to a non-Western world order is possible to construct as an ideal type, such a divergence would face greater implementation challenges and raise immediate risks. Reflecting especially on the state of the world and the Prime Minister’s statements in Davos, the paper concludes by assessing that the pitfalls of the prevailing model may justify taking on the challenges of the latter, given both approaches are found to entail notable uncertainty and risk while the latter may yet offer greater long term reward in a changing world order.