"Parody Construction of Global Norms : Russia's Attempt to

Recreate Norms through the Ukraine and Georgia conflict

and Its Impact on the International Community"

Alperen Morova

In Erna Burai's article "Parody as Norm Contestation: Russia's Normative Justifications in

Georgia and Ukraine and Their Impact on Global Norms", I tried to examine Russia's actions
in Georgia and Ukraine through normative behavior. The use of the word "Parody" as an anti-
norm sheds light on the nature of norm justification in terms of its complexity; and sheds light
on the potential impact of the norm concept on the international system through the Russian
case.

One of the most important parts of the study is actually Burai's attempt to unravel the complex
dynamics between norm contestation and norm diffusion. When we dwell and reflect on the
concept of "parody", we see that it is meant to describe Russia's strategic use of normative
rhetoric to legitimize its actions in Georgia and Ukraine. According to the study, what Russia
is trying to accomplish is to legitimize its struggle by imitating global norms and adopting the
ones that suit its interests. Although Russia tries to legitimize its actions through norms, what
it is actually doing is a challenge due to the conflict between the norms adopted by the
international community and those adopted by Russia. This is why Burai helps to understand
the manipulation of norms with the term "anti-norms".

In my view the case studies on Georgia and Ukraine are relevant to how behavior based on
Russia's normative justifications has taken shape in the post-Soviet period, especially as the
annexation of Crimea and the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine demonstrate that Russia has
effectively declared war on the principle of territorial integrity and sovereignty enshrined in
international law. Here, Russia's motives in these actions not only challenge the "status quo"
but also have potential precedents for the actions of other states in terms of time and context.

Personally, Burai's article calls into question the impact of parody as a strategy of norm
defiance on the stability and legitimacy of the international order, while Russia's actions test
the resilience of global norms and the capacity of the international community to respond to
Russia. I believe that crude condemnations and punitive measures in response to Russia may
not always be the most effective responses, as they can deepen divisions, isolate Russia from
international cooperation, and ultimately undermine liberal values and encourage normative
defiance.
The study could take a broader perspective by conducting extensive research on potential
responses to the norm debate. In my opinion, understanding the driving force behind Russia's
normative rationale and analyzing the conditions for specific actors can help identify potential
areas of compromise between Russia and the international community.

In order to add depth to the analysis, the study should analyze how regional actors and
international organizations respond to Russia's anti-norm attitudes. Different actors have
different attitudes towards Russia, and these attitudes open the door to different
interpretations, and it is important to include these interpretations in this study in order to
make the analysis more multifaceted.

In conclusion, this study examined the concept of parody and analyzed how states turn
international norms in their favor and the attitudes and approaches taken by the international
community towards it through the issue of Russia's Georgia and Ukraine conflicts. However,
more studies on the reaction strategies against Russia and the perspectives of different actors
on this issue will lead to an increase in analysis. This study is also of literary significance as it
explains the delicate balance between norm contestation and diffusion in shaping global
norms and the future of international relations.