Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences

Roida Rzayeva, Head of a Department at the Institute of Oriental Studies named after Academician Ziya Bunyadov of ANAS and Doctor of Philosophy, participated in the 8th International Istanbul Congress of Current Scientific Research, held in Istanbul, Türkiye, on September 19–20, 2026.

Participants from 25 countries around the world attended the conference.

The scholar delivered a presentation entitled “The Symbolic Aspect of Political Thought and the Media.”

In her presentation, Roida Rzayeva discussed how the transformation of the media system and, more broadly, media culture manifests itself in communication practices at both the social and individual levels, as well as in the potential for participation in social processes. It was emphasized that archetypes, myths, stereotypes, and symbols constitute essential components of the political consciousness, making it possible to speak of the symbolic dimension of political thought. The presentation noted that today, “soft power” reflects changing priorities in politics.

In her presentation, the professor noted that “soft power” is an element of contemporary politics and is used to achieve geostrategic goals through non-violent methods, means, and technologies of influence, which makes it a form of governance policy. At this level, it was emphasized that “soft power” can be regarded as a new and modern form of ideology. The presentation also stated that knowledge is one of the key components of “soft power” and that its role in the world continues to grow as the information society develops. It was emphasized that new methods, techniques, and technologies designed to influence public consciousness through “information attacks” are turning knowledge into a powerful geopolitical weapon.

The scholar’s presentation was met with great interest.

Translation by Gulhane Aghayeva, Department of Public Relations, Press, and Information, Presidium of ANAS

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