Cultural heritage as a “soft power” tool: lexicometry of applications for grants of the Russkiy mir foundation

The aim of the study is to identify directions and ways to improve the effectiveness of grant activities of Russian foundations that support projects in the field of popularization and promotion of the Russian language and Russian culture. The author considers the sociocultural design of information products and activities to promote the Russian language and culture in the external and internal environment by non-profit associations under the auspices of the Russkiy Mir Foundation. The author substantiates the relevance of countering the Western policy of Russia’s cultural weakening and the need to institutionalize Russia’s “soft power” as an integral doctrine and system of activities. Using the method of semantic-statistical analysis, the author made a total survey of the open metadata of grant applications received by the Russkiy Mir Foundation in 2021. This provided an assessment of the effectiveness of the foundation’s grant activities in terms of compliance with its program goals, geographical coverage, age of the potential audience of projects, representation of the image of Russia. The survey has shown that the civil (culture-centric) type of patriotism is most consistent with the goals of the foundation and acts as a guiding and shaping factor in most applications. The author has identified ways to improve the effectiveness of grant activities that are acceptable not only for the Russkiy Mir Foundation, but also for other similar foundations and sociocultural programs. These ways include: supporting applications by country, strengthening targeted work with children and youth audiences, overcoming the applicants’ predominant orientation on the problems of Russian literature and the associated lack of representations of many areas and concepts of Russian culture, reflecting the religious cultures and ethno-confessional diversity of the country, increasing the share of projects that not only reflect the great past of the country, but also model its worthy future. The author emphasizes that, in order to form a consistent, understandable and attractive civilizational message, Russia must take into account the successful experience of China or India, which effectively combine the methods of “soft power”, traditional for their worldview and political experience, with new digital technologies. Russia’s actions in this case should not be subordinated to the point solution of momentary tasks, but be consistent, strategically and globally oriented.