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DIPLOCAT’s public diplomacy role and the perceptions towards Catalonia among international correspondents

Place Branding and Public Diplomacy volume 14, pages 213–222 (2018)Cite this article

Abstract

This qualitative study analyses the public diplomacy (PD) role of the Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia (DIPLOCAT) and delves into the perceptions that international correspondents have towards this region. The objective of DIPLOCAT is to influence foreign public opinion in relation to Catalonia’s will of self-determination. This study proves that international correspondents who have established prior contact with DIPLOCAT in turn also have a positive perception of Catalonia. The research has also found a correlation between the professional needs of correspondents (information sources and materials) and the PD activities being provided by DIPLOCAT. This shows that correspondents’ interests are in line with what DIPLOCAT is strategically offering. These achievements demonstrate that, within the new information age, a small PD structure such as DIPLOCAT is able to achieve remarkable profits in terms of reputation gaining for the territory it represents if the right tools and strategies are used.

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Fig. 1

Source research from the authors

Notes

  1. Diplocat has calculated the estimated economic value their placed Op-eds have on international media (Diplocat 2015).

  2. The clearest achievement in relation to this matter for Diplocat occurred in the Danish Parliament on May 12, 2015. The Danish chamber requested a dialogued, democratic and pacific solution between Catalonia and Spain (La Vanguardia, 19 May 2015).

  3. All the questionnaires graphics are available from the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Communication, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Roc Boronat 138, 08018, Barcelona, Spain

    Joan Torras-Vila & José Fernández-Cavia

Authors
  1. Joan Torras-Vila
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  2. José Fernández-Cavia
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Correspondence to Joan Torras-Vila.

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Torras-Vila, J., Fernández-Cavia, J. DIPLOCAT’s public diplomacy role and the perceptions towards Catalonia among international correspondents. Place Brand Public Dipl 14, 213–222 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41254-017-0073-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41254-017-0073-7

Keywords

  • DIPLOCAT
  • Public diplomacy
  • Public opinion
  • Catalonia perception
  • International correspondents