This study aims at understanding how representational theories can substantiate the field of Cultural Diplomacy by looking at three models: Cosmopolitan Constructivism, Nation Branding and Soft Power. The aim of the study is to provide a theoretical framework to understand, reformulate and develop the field of Cultural Diplomacy by analyzing and comparing the three main representational models. Using Hanna F. Pitkin’s discussion of political representation as a background, the author assesses the relevance of the three models in terms of the contemporary discourses of Cultural Diplomacy. These representational models address several main issues concerning how culture is represented abroad by diplomacies in terms of contents and discursivity, paying particular attention to the identity-alterity relations between the cultural-real and the represented-referent. In reference to this approach, the author presents a discussion of cultural representations and formulates an analysis of how indexical, symbolic and postmodern representations can be appropriated in Cultural Diplomacy terms. Finally, in the debate between identities and alterities, the thesis suggests that the fixed cultural representations of nations in terms of friends and competitors is continually melding with representations about enemies and exotic-others. The main theoretical contribution of the text lies in its analysis of Cosmopolitan Constructivism and its sources: multilateral diplomacy, cosmopolitan theory and constructivist politics.
In order to anchor these debates in specific realities, the author studies concrete aspects of Mexican and Swedish Cultural Diplomacies during the nineties and up to the early millennium, using them as expository cases that illustrate the theoretical apparatus. Two specific cases illustrate the political templates underlying concepts of representation: the idea of Soft-Power in Mexico through the 1990-1992 international exhibition “Mexico Splendors of Thirty Centuries” and the idea of “Nation-Branding” as set up by the Swedish Cultural Diplomatic apparatus to respond to global pressures in the early millennium. In these expository cases, the book demonstrates that Mexico and Sweden have oscillating values between a form of Cosmopolitan Constructivism and Soft Power, with an emerging Nation Branding presence in their cultural diplomacies.
This study concludes that Cultural Diplomacy is a field that, despite its minor relative impact inside the foreign ministries, can help identify the processes of constructing a cultural-national identity abroad in relation to the puzzling representations of alterity in a global world. To sum up, this thesis shows, in Cultural Diplomacy terms, the possibilities of nations being capable of telling their own stories to the world and being able, at the same time, to listen what others have to tell them about themselves.
Author(s): Cesar Villanueva
Edition: First
Publisher: Universito of Vaxjo Press
Year: 2007
Language: English
Pages: 230
City: Vaxjo
Tags: Cultural Diplomacy, Soft Power, Nation Brand, Cosmopolitan Constructivism, Alterity, Identity
Acknowledgments
Contents
Figures
Illustrations and Pictures
Abbreviations
INTRODUCTION 17
Cultural Diplomacy and Holbein’s The Ambassadors 17
The Main Research Riddle(s) 20
What is the Fuss over Cultural Diplomacy? 20
Cultural Diplomacy Representations: SP-CC-NB 22
Method: On the Construction of Representation 23
Swedish and Mexican Cultural Diplomacies 25
Aim, Delimitations and Disposition 27
Organization of the Thesis 28
Final Note: How to Relate to this Study 30
CHAPTER ONE: Representing Cultural Diplomacy 31
Introduction 31
1.1. Addressing “Cultural Diplomacy” Representations 32
1.1.1. The Restrictive “E-P-A” Triad 32
1.1.2. The Cultural Attaché 34
1.1.3. Constructing Cultural Diplomacy in Discourse 36
a) Instrumentality 37
b) Securitization 39
c) Spatiality 40
d) The Directionality 42
e) The Private/Public divide 43
1.2. Diplomacy: The Public and Representations 45
1.2.1 Public Diplomacy in Discourse 46
1.2.2. Difference between Public and Cultural Diplomacy 47
1.2.3. Public Diplomacy in Sweden and Mexico 49
1.3. Representing Cultural Diplomacy: Soft Power, Nation Branding and Cosmopolitan Constructivism in Discourse 50
1.3.1 Soft-Power 51
1.3.2. Nation-Branding 53
1.3.3. Cosmopolitan Constructivism 55
1.4. Conclusion 60
CHAPTER TWO: Representing Culture 61
2.1. On Representation and Cultural Diplomacy 61
2.2. Political Representations 63
2.3. Cultural Representations 68
2.4. Three Cultural Representations 73
2.4.1. Reflective Representations 74
2.4.2. Symbolic Representations 77
2.4.3. Postmodern Representations 81
2.5. Conclusion 86
CHAPTER THREE: Representing Identities/Alterities 87
3.1. Identity inside Cultural Diplomacy Representations 87
3.2. Endo-Representations: Four Forms of Identity 93
3.2.1. Psychological Identity 94
3.2.2. Corporeal Identity 95
3.2.3. National Identity 96
3.2.4. Cultural Identity 99
3.3. Alter-Representations: The Process of Alterity Formation 102
3.3.1. Representations of Rival/Enemy 106
3.3.2. Representations of Ally/Friend 108
3.3.3. Exotic as Other: The Orientalist Effect 110
3.3.4. Representing the Barbarian-Other 111
3.4. Conclusions 114
CHAPTER FOUR: Representing Mexico Abroad:
Tradition and Modernity at Crossroads 116
Introduction 117
4.1. Mexican Cultural Diplomacy Representations in Discourse 118
4.1.1. Three Illustrations from Mexican Cultural Attachés 120
4.2. Political Representations in Mexican Cultural Diplomacy 124
4.3. Cultural Diplomacy and the Representation of Identity:
The Case of “Mexico, Splendors of Thirty Centuries” 131
4.3.1. Mexican Cultural Diplomacy at Work 132
4.3.2. Identity/Alterity Discussion 136
4.4. Conclusion 142
CHAPTER 5: Representing Swedish Culture:
Sources of Sweden’s Diplomatic Success Abroad 142
Introduction 142
5.1. Cultural Diplomacy Representation à la Suède and
the Cosmopolitan Constructivist Discourse 143
5.1.1. Swedish Cultural and Public Diplomacy 144
5.1.2. Instrumentality and Cultural Diplomacy Representations 147
5.1.3. Differences in the Cosmopolitan Constructivist Discourse 148
5.2. Organizational Structure and the Cosmopolitan
Constructivist Layout 150
5.2.1. From Symbolic to Postmodern Representations of Sweden 156
5.3. Swedish Cultural Diplomacy à la Nation-Branding 158
5.3.1. Sweden as a Nation-Brand 163
5.3.1.1. Discussion 166
5.4. Conclusion 168
CHAPTER SIX: Concluding Notes 170
6.1. The Overall Question 170
6.2. Interrelated and Subsidiary Questions 171
6.3. The Mexican and Swedish Expository Cases 173
6.4. Cultural Diplomacy Lessons 176
6.5. Further Research: Parallel Theoretical Arguments 178
REFERENCES 183
Books, Journal Articles and Occasional Papers 183
Swedish Sources, Reports and Materials 198
Mexican Sources, Reports and Materials 200
Interviews 201
Mexican Diplomatic Dossiers 201