Authors

Discussion

This paper conducts an extensive content analysis of Soviet newspapers to explore their coverage of the activities carried out at the Esalen Institute. The Esalen Institute, founded in 1962 by Michael Murphy and Richard Price, stands as a non-profit retreat centre nestled in Big Sur, California. Emerging as a pivotal hub within the Human Potential Movement and a fertile ground for nurturing New Age philosophies, the Esalen Institute spearheaded "citizen diplomacy" during the 1980s. A remarkable milestone was achieved in 1989 when the Institute hosted Boris Yeltsin's comprehensive nine-day tour of the United States.

By dissecting the portrayal of these narratives in the Soviet press, this paper accentuates the methodologies employed in shaping a positive perception of the Esalen Institute. One noteworthy technique involves metaphorically connecting collaborations between Soviet scientists and the Esalen Institute to the imagery of wartime alliances—exemplified in the inaugural Soviet publication about the institute, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the Elbe meeting. Furthermore, this paper investigates the Soviet press's representation of the Esalen Institute's involvement in disseminating parascientific beliefs and pseudoscientific practices (e.g. homeopathy), within the context of Esalen's diplomatic endeavours. It illuminates how these unconventional approaches effectively filled the void in scenarios where conventional diplomatic strategies fell short.