STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS FOR STRENGTHENING EVIDENCE-BASED POLICYMAKING AND DEMOCRATIC RESILIENCE IN POLYCRISIS: THE CASE OF UKRAINE

Abstract

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of strategic communications (StratCom)
as a transformative managerial innovation within public governance. The authors examine the capacity of
StratCom to bridge evidence-based policymaking and democratic resilience amid prolonged global
polycrisis. Utilizing Ukraine as a critical case study of a nation facing existential hybrid threats, the
research analyses the evolution from reactive administrative informing to proactive narrative
management.
The study evaluates the structural integration of StratCom into strategic planning, fiscal budgeting,
and public investment monitoring frameworks, arguing that communication is no longer an ancillary
function but a foundational pillar of the policymaking cycle. By leveraging empirical data from World Bank
GovTech indicators and analyzing the functionality of the Dija ecosystem, the DREAM restoration
platform, and the ProZorro system, the paper demonstrates how digitized feedback loops and real-time
social listening assets translate public opinion into actionable data for rapid policy recalibration.
Furthermore, the paper addresses critical institutional challenges, including the risks of political
capture, the complexities of maintaining media pluralism during martial law, and the imperative of
implementing Knowledge Management (KM) systems. The authors advocate for the institutionalization of
StratCom through the creation of national repositories of best practices and the establishment of
"institutional continuity" mechanisms designed to prevent the erosion of professional expertise during
political rotations. The research concludes that an integrated StratCom model functions as an innovative
metadata layer in public administration, essential for ensuring synergy between data, societal values, and
democratic legitimacy. The paper offers actionable policy recommendations for enhancing cognitive
security, scaling prebunking initiatives, and developing a roadmap for transitioning toward robust media
pluralism in the post-war period.