LiveJournal and Russian Disinformation

Name: LiveJournal and Russian Disinformation
Price: 180 AUD
Availability: OutOfStock
ISBN: 9781666954555

The Rise of Epistemic Sabotage

J.J. Sylvia IV (Fitchburg State University)

$180

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We will update you on expected arrival time to us. If this delay is too long, please let us know within 2 business days and we can give you options regarding cancelling or adjusting your order. More details on cancelling your order can be found in our Terms of Trade.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Rowman & Littlefield
19 February 2026

Communication studies; Media studies; Political control & freedoms; Media, information & communication industries

In LiveJournal and Russian Disinformation, J.J. Sylvia IV analyzes the role of blogging platform LiveJournal in Russia’s information warfare strategy, examining its evolution and co-optation as a case study.

Through rigorous analysis, Sylvia demonstrates how epistemic sabotage became central to the Kremlin’s efforts to manipulate truth, and more broadly, how the ever-increasing reach of the internet and social media platforms can be weaponized by authoritarian regimes to disrupt knowledge systems and destabilize democracies.

While the growing ubiquity of the internet and its networks have ushered in countless opportunities and benefits on individual, organizational, and international levels, Sylvia emphasizes the double-edged sword of the new risks that must be considered in turn. As fascism is on the rise worldwide and anti-democratic governments wield social media as a tool to stoke division and spread disinformation among citizens worldwide—democratic countries being no exception—he contends that understanding this tactical shift is critically relevant not only to the Russian context, but also to the challenges of navigating truth and democracy on a global scale in the 21st century.

LiveJournal and Russian Disinformation coherently identifies, documents, and interprets the logics and implications of this evolution in warfare, leaving readers with a more nuanced understanding of the platform as an early battle in a new digital arena—one which is not likely to be the last.

By: J.J. Sylvia IV (Fitchburg State University)
Imprint: Rowman & Littlefield
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 232mm, Width: 154mm, Spine: 20mm
Weight: 520g
ISBN: 9781666954555
ISBN 10: 1666954551
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 19 February 2026
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Acknowledgements Brief Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations Key People Timeline Introduction 1. Uncovering Russia's Information Warfare Strategy 2. The Emergence of LiveJournal (1999) 3. The Rise of Navalny as a Digital Dissident (2006) 4. LiveJournal and Russia at War (2008) 5. Bloggers on the Frontlines: Kremlin Strategies in Response to Networked Dissent (2008-2013) 6. The End of the Open Internet in Russia (2013-Present) 7. Russian Disinformation Rhetoric: The Blend of Political and Non-Political Content in Information Warfare 8. Conclusion: Grappling with the Challenges Posed by Epistemic Sabotage Bibliography Index

J.J. Sylvia IV is Associate Professor of Communications Media in the School of Arts and Sciences at Fitchburg State University, USA.