The study of the dynamics of the perception of global confrontation in Canadian public discourse makes it possible to improve approaches to the study of the emergence and evolution of similar images and concepts in Ukrainian public discourse. In our opinion, the study of the constituent images of the Cold War is also important because it will allow us to expand our understanding of the international events and processes in the second half of the 20th century, not only in the context of "Cold War history" as a whole, but also "Cold War stories", enriching a Canadian case study research framework.
The scientific novelty of the research lies in the fact that for the first time the paradigm of discourse analysis was applied to the study of Canadians' perception of the "Cold War" concept; the peculiarities of the process of formation of the "image of the enemy" are determined, including from the point of view of social constructivism; the specifics of Canadians' perception of the escalation of the Cold War, as well as their impact on changing perceptions of global confrontation, are clarified; the peculiarities of the development of the left discourse in the country in the perception of the Cold War, its fragmentation and contradictions are specified; the results of the interaction of the public discourse on the Cold War with the official one; conceptualization of the causes, meaning and assessment of global geopolitical confrontation by the Canadian political forces; the perception of Canadians about the role of their country in the system of international relations in that period; an expanded view of Canadians' perception of the danger of nuclear war and the possibility of protection against its consequences; the features and purpose of using markers of ideological confrontation in Canadian public discourse are specified.
The practical importance of studying the relationship between society and state policy and their mutual influence is determined by the possibility of expanding the understanding of the peculiarities of the functioning of political institutions in countries with developed democracy. For Ukraine, which is currently at the stage of reforming its own political system, Canada's experience may be useful. In addition, in view of the conflict with Russia and the full-scale war unleashed by it in 2022, it is relevant on Ukrainian soil to study the dynamics of the formation of the image of the enemy and a holistic idea of the confrontation in public discourse.
Several concepts are used in the work. Among them is the "Cold War", which is understood as a bipolar confrontation both in the geopolitical and ideological plane. The category of "public discourse" was also used as a space for the formation and circulation of the image of this confrontation. In addition, the concept of "communism" was used in its ambiguity: as an ideology in general, as an ideology inherent in the USSR, as a synonym for the set of countries with an established communist regime, or as a marker of the image of an "alien". In the work, we also referred to the paradigms of behaviorism and social constructivism in international relations, which, in our opinion, allows us to better reveal the topic from an appropriate methodological angle.
The position of the Canadian communists was specific, since the beginning of the post-war era, they took the place of Moscow's "fifth column" in the public consciousness as a result of the "Gouzenko affair". Their situation was difficult, because for themselves they had to either accept an unconditionally pro-Soviet model, or balance between the image of the enemy and their own ideas about a positive picture of the world. In addition, the 20th Congress of the CPSU and the debunking of the personality cult of J. Stalin were a heavy blow for them, because these events led to an ideological crisis. In addition, the Canadian reality – functioning democracy, welfare state and positive economic development – did not create ample opportunities for supporting the communist ideology. The base of the pro-Soviet forces and the Trotskyists, who had an influence on part of the left-wing radical population, were eroded.
So, during the studied period, the Cold War became a geopolitical and ideological reality, which had a branching categorical meaning. Its various contexts formed a discursive network that largely determined the picture of the world of Canadians in the realm of political reality.
