The Art of Soft Power: A study of cultural diplomacy at the UN Office in Geneva
October 9, 2018
Melissa Nisbett and James Doeser
Many grand claims have been made about the power of art and culture to advance the soft power agendas of nation states. Yet, there is little published academic research that critically analyses the effectiveness or impact of cultural diplomacy and soft power. At King’s, we wanted to put these claims to the test, to really understand how art and culture feature in the mechanisms of international relations.
Focusing in on the specific setting of the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), King’s was given the opportunity to interview both diplomats and secretariat about how they see the use of the arts and culture in the furtherance of their diplomatic objectives. The findings are outlined in the Cultural Enquiry report The art of soft power. Full PDF here.
Source: Report description