Cultural Diplomacy

Abstract

Cultural diplomacy is a sector of foreign policy. Cultural diplomacy is a public policy that strives to export data representative of the national culture and to promote interactions with other countries in the cultural arena, within the framework of foreign policy. The range of potential interventions is quite broad, as the word “culture” is vague and its vectors have diversified, notably with audiovisual media, the press, the Internet, and social networks. The word “culture” could also be used as an alibi, and notions of propaganda, destabilization and psychological effects may hang over such activities; it is also used in a more noble sense: of preserving heritage, of artistic, intellectual and literary development, of the free movement of ideas. The different public policy systems in the cultural sector will be examined bilaterally and multilaterally. Cultural diplomacy actors are first part of the state system. There are however diverse configurations depending on the political regimes involved. Since the end of the Second World War, international organizations have been engaged in international cultural interplay. The means and vocabulary used to develop soft power will appear there also.