Francis Barnett

The Role of the Russian Orthodox Church in Supporting Russian Foreign Policy Objectives and Shaping Geopolitical and Religious Dynamics in Europe

Supervisors: Kataryna Wolczuk and Mark Webber

This research aims to investigate the intricate relationship between the Russian Orthodox Church and Russia’s foreign policy, with a particular focus on Orthodox communities in Europe. The project is rooted in the understanding that the Kremlin strategically utilises religious organisations and institutions as instruments to advance its foreign policy objectives. 
The central objective of this study is to explore how Orthodox communities perceive and experience Russian influence efforts and the resulting impact on their integration with Western institutions, such as the European Union or NATO. 
Insights gained from examining the Balkans region and other Orthodox communities in Europe could be essential for understanding the evolving geopolitical landscape, particularly in Africa. Russia, through the Russian Orthodox Church, has been expanding its influence in Africa, as evidenced by the establishment of numerous parishes in African countries over the past 3 years. 

Moreover, with the Russo-Ukrainian war reshaping the geopolitical landscape and Russia’s energy leverage on European states diminishing, this study considers the conflict as a potential turning point. It examines pre- and post-conflict trends in inter-Orthodox relations. Recent events, such as the Kyiv Pechersk-Lavra monastic complex stand-off and the transition of the Latvian Orthodox Church from a self-governing part of the Moscow Patriarchate to a fully autocephalous Orthodox church in 2022, are indicative of the dynamic changes occurring within Orthodox communities and their connections to the Russian Orthodox Church in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

Profile

Born in Birmingham, I became interested in Russian politics whilst studying PPE at the University of Oxford. I wrote my Masters’ dissertation on Russian Orthodox theological teaching on capitalism, the global market economy, and environmentalism. My interest in the Russian Orthodox Church and Russian politics led to this PHD project. 

Qualifications

  • BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics – University of Oxford 
  • MA Theology and Religion - University of Birmingham
  • Postgraduate Certificate of Education – Newman University
  • PHD Political Science and International Studies (Part-Time) (In-Progress) – University of Birmingham

Research interests

  • Geopolitics of Religion
  • Russian Foreign Policy
  • Orthodox Christianity
  • Religious Influence in International Relations
  • Global Expansion of Russian Religious Resources
  • Post-Soviet Transformations

Contact details:

Email: FLB046@student.bham.ac.uk