The Perceptions of the Sochi Olympic Games by Russian Communities

Abstract

The article focuses on the specific issues of the formation of public opinion on the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. The authors consider the problem of reproduction of informational discourses of a global sport event on the local level. The article analyzes how global perceptions can influence individual knowledge and individual knowledge can form national public opinion. The authors utilize the community studies approach to define four types of communities, which depend on various border types and communication methods. The empirical data used in the article include the results of interviews of local Russian population groups in the North-West Federal District of the Russian Federation in January-February 2014. The authors come to the conclusion that a community type can affect individuals’ perceptions of global events on the local level and communication instruments determine effects of belonging of community members to global processes.