Bridging the Theoretical Gap between Public Diplomacy and Cultural Diplomacy

Hwajung Kim, The Korean Journal of International Studies [download]; see also.

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Excerpt:

[Abstract]

As public diplomacy has undergone a paradigm shift in the information age, cultural diplomacy remains loosely defined as a strand of public diplomacy, yet there has been little explanation as to why this was so. Rather, cultural diplomacy has been underestimated in recent diplomatic activities. The combination of new public diplomacy and soft power has become the formula for how nternational cultural exchanges and programs work in contemporary diplomatic activities and has brought a new perspective on arts and culture as a means of soft power. The present study aims to uncover the missing pieces in cultural diplomacy as a subset of new public diplomacy and delves into what complicates the definition of cultural diplomacy. The study concludes that new cultural diplomacy should be considered as an intersectional concept of new public diplomacy and international cultural relations.

Key Words: public diplomacy, soft power, cultural diplomacy, international cultural relations