The Crisis of National Identity and Branding Policy in Post-Soviet Countries

The decline of the USSR and the system transformations of the newly formed sovereignties has resulted in cultural and institutional injuries to the societies, which have been deepened by the globalization processes in the world. Internal volatility and external requirements have had many negative consequences for the post-Soviet countries. For instance, there is a blurring of national identities and intensification of the territorial or local identities, which acquired features of conflict. Moreover, they have had to decide whether to represent themselves as a territory with a population or state with nation (sovereign actor in international relations). Identity in the context of branding the nation-state is irrational and is primarily associated with the state's own idea among the population about success. National branding strategy and symbolic forms of articulation of national identity are the socio-psychological tools that afford the ability to construct a sense of unity and integration within society. The expression and fixing of significant social meanings and values are realized by using the symbolization of political space within the context of national branding. The significant factor to this is the harmony of regional and national political identity in this process.