Baginskiy A. Baginskiy A.V. Political symbolism as a means of democratic consolidation of society.

In the dissertation research the essence and the mechanisms of political symbolism as the means of democratic consolidation of society were investigated. Author's interpretation of democratic consolidation of society and political symbolism is offered. The model of political symbolism of democratic consolidation of society "Mythology-Religion-Ideology-Marketing" is developed. According to the model of the research, the general features and differences of political symbols were found out in the process of consolidation of democracy in the countries of the first and the second "waves of democratization" (stable democracies), and the third "wave of democratization" (consolidated democracies). Democratic and autocratic consolidation of society as alternative strategies of using of political symbols are selected. Special attention was paid to the features of political symbolism which were found out in modern Ukraine in the context of functioning of the hybrid political regime. Strategies of the use of political symbolism are considered for democratic consolidation of society in modern Ukraine.