Public Diplomacy in Slovakia: Past and Present

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 201-227
Author(s):  
A. N. Marchukov
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Public Diplomacy ◽  
Slovak Republic ◽  
Cultural Diplomacy ◽  
World Politics ◽  
Small States ◽  
Accurate Information ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Government

In academic discourse, public diplomacy is often regarded as an instrument of foreign policy most suitable for small states, which enables them to compensate for the lack of military and economic capabilities. Paradoxically enough, studies on public diplomacy usually focus on the activities of the leading actors of world politics. However, it is exactly the case of small states that, according to the author, allows better understanding of the role of public diplomacy in the contemporary foreign policy agenda. The author examines the evolution of the Slovak public diplomacy, and distinguishes two stages in it. The firststage (from 1993 to 2004) was characterized by the establishment and consolidation of the Slovak system of public diplomacy, aimed primarily at promoting the main goal of the government — the country’s integration into the European Union. By means of advocacy and cultural diplomacy, in particular through the system of Slovak Institutes, Slovakia tried to convince politicians, journalists, members of the academic and business communities, and non-governmental organization activists in Europe that the country was ready to join the EU. During the second stage (from 2005 to the present day) a national branding, aimed at promoting a positive image of the country has come to play (along with cultural diplomacy) one of the key roles within the Slovak public diplomacy. It was at this time that the government initiated the National Scholarship Program of the Slovak Republic and launched an information campaign with the slogan ‘Slovakia is a Good Idea’, which had made a significant contribution to the dissemination of accurate information about the country and strengthened relations with the neighboring states and trade partners. The author concludes that in nearly three decades Slovakia has managed to establish a modern competitive system of public diplomacy, which possesses the following characteristics: a high level of coordination between the key actors, a wide range of working methods, and an effective dialogue with the people of the country on the main foreign policy objectives (domestic public diplomacy).

Fashion industry as a tool of public diplomacy: Ukrainian and world experience

2021 ◽  
pp. 63-71
Author(s):  
Maryna Okladna ◽  
Oksana Stasevska ◽  
Maryna Vandzhurak
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Public Diplomacy ◽  
Cultural Diplomacy ◽  
The State ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Main Body ◽  
Fashion Industry ◽  
Positive Image ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The World

Problem setting. The success of a country's foreign policy in the modern world is determined not only by its military and economic power, but also by its success in shaping the strategy of public diplomacy. A positive image abroad is a key element of successful international cooperation. A wide range of public diplomacy tools contribute to the establishment of a high level of trust, partnership, economic, political and humanitarian ties in the world. Target of research. The purpose of the article is to determine the potential of the fashion industry as an important tool of public diplomacy of Ukraine, to promote a positive image of the country based on the study of domestic and world experience. Analysis of resent researches and publications. The problems of public diplomacy are actively considered by the scientific community. At the same time, it is obvious that the domestic scientific opinion lacks work on understanding the experience of using the potential of the fashion industry to implement the tasks of promoting a positive image of the state. Article’s main body. The authors of the article proceed from a broad conceptual understanding of public diplomacy as a complex system of institutions and mechanisms, the task of which is to create an attractive image of the country and to support the foreign policy of the state. An analysis of the definition of public and cultural diplomacy in the domestic scientific discourse has revealed the dominance of the traditional approach: the recognition of cultural diplomacy as a key component of public diplomacy, emphasizing its direct connection with the mechanisms of «soft power». A specific form of cultural expression can be considered fashion - one of the most complex phenomena of modern culture, which allows to emphasize social status and meet aesthetic needs. The versatility of the mod determines its great impact on the world economy, political life of society, and the environment. In the modern world, fashion has become one of the strongest diplomatic tools that combine art, creativity and business. For a long time, the fashion industry in Ukraine was not defined as a separate area of socio-cultural diplomacy. However, recently there has been a tendency to draw more attention to the fashion industry as one of the manifestations of cultural diplomacy, which has the potential to become a successful tool in shaping Ukraine's widespread recognition in the world. Studies of our country's experience in the use of the fashion industry in public diplomacy prove the existence of both extensive experience in this area and the existence of untapped opportunities to achieve greater efficiency. Conclusions and prospects for the development. Ukraine is taking various powerful measures at the institutional level to use the fashion industry as a tool of public diplomacy, but our country is only taking the first steps in this direction. The analysis of this experience allows to recognize it rather successful.

British Council as an Instrument of Public Diplomacy of Great Britain

2017 ◽  
pp. 305-312
Author(s):  
Mykola Trofymenko
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Great Britain ◽  
Public Diplomacy ◽  
Cultural Diplomacy ◽  
Foreign Minister ◽  
Cultural Relations ◽  
British Council ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The World ◽  
The Government

Public diplomacy of Great Britain is one of the most developed in the EU and in the world. The United Kingdom has developed an extremely efficient public diplomacy mechanism which includes BBC World Service (which due to its popularity boosts the reputation and the image of Great Britain), Chevening Scholarships (provides outstanding foreign students with opportunity to study in Great Britain and thus establishes long-lasting relations with public opinion leaders and foreign countries elite) and the British Council, which deals with international diplomatic ties in the field of culture. The British Council is a unique organization. Being technically independent, it actively and efficiently works on consolidating Great Britain’s interests in the world and contributes to the development of public diplomacy in Great Britain.   The author studies the efforts of the British Council as a unique public diplomacy tool of the United Kingdom. Special attention is paid to the role of British Council, which is independent of the governing board and at the same time finds itself under the influence of the latter due to the peculiarities of the appointment of Board’s officials, financing etc. The author concludes that the British Council is a unique organization established in 1934, which is a non-departmental state body, charitable organization and public corporation, technically independent of the government. The British Council, thanks to its commercial activities covers the lack of public funding caused by the policy of economy conducted by the government. It has good practices in this field worth paying attention by other countries. It is also worth mentioning that the increment in profit was getting higher last year, however the issue of increasing the influence of the government on the activities of British Council is still disputable. Although the Foreign Minister officially reports to the parliament on the activities of the British Council, approves the appointment of the leaders of organizations, the British Council preserves its independence of the government, which makes it more popular abroad, and makes positive influence on the world image of Great Britain. The efficiency of the British Council efforts on fulfillment of targets of the United Kingdom public diplomacy is unquestionable, no matter how it calls its activities: whether it is a cultural relations establishment or a cultural diplomacy implementation. Keywords: The British Council, public diplomacy, cultural diplomacy, cultural relations, Foreign Office, Her Majesty’s Government, official assistance for development

Italy's politics without policy: Balancing Atlanticism and Europeanism in the Middle East

Modern Italy ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raffaella A. Del Sarto ◽  
Nathalie Tocci
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Middle East ◽  
The United States ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The Government ◽  
Specific Interests ◽  
Policy Shifts ◽  
The Eu

Focusing on Italy's Middle East policies under the second Berlusconi (2001–2006) and the second Prodi (2006–2008) governments, this article assesses the manner and extent to which the observed foreign policy shifts between the two governments can be explained in terms of the rebalancing between a ‘Europeanist’ and a transatlantic orientation. Arguing that Rome's policy towards the Middle East hinges less on Italy's specific interests and objectives in the region and more on whether the preference of the government in power is to foster closer ties to the United States or concentrate on the European Union, the analysis highlights how these swings of the pendulum along the EU–US axis are inextricably linked to a number of underlying structural weaknesses of Rome's foreign policy. In particular, the oscillations can be explained by the prevalence of short-term political (and domestic) considerations and the absence of long-term, substantive political strategies, or, in short, by the phenomenon of ‘politics without policy’ that often characterises Italy's foreign policy.

New Aspects of Discourse about the Berlin’s Realpolitik

2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (12) ◽  
pp. 30-40
Author(s):  
V. Vasil'ev
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
German Society ◽  
World Politics ◽  
Main Concern ◽  
European Security ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Government ◽  
The U.S ◽  
The Eu

The article investigates approaches taken by major political parties and civil society in the FRG toward the Transatlantic partnership. It reveals the tendencies of the prospective promotion of Berlin’s cooperation with Washington; the article also gives a forecast of further interaction between the EU and the USA, indicates the direction of discourse regarding the future Russia–Germany relations model in the context of the Ukrainian crisis and in reference to the increased transatlantic solidarity. Disputes in German socio-political circles on the issue of the FRG’s policy toward the U.S. are emerging all the time, but they have to be considered within a concrete historical and political context. Being of primary significance for all German chancellors, the Trans-Atlantic factor has been shaping itself in a controversial way as to the nation’s public opinion. This has been confirmed by many opinion polls, including the survey on the signing of the EU–U.S. Agreement on the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. Chancellor A. Merkel is playing an important role: she is either ascribed full compliancy with Washington, or is being tentatively shown as a consistent government figure in advancing and upholding of Germany's and the EU's interests. A. Merkel has implemented her peace-seeking drive in undoing the Ukrainian tangle by setting up the “Normandy format” involving the leaders of Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine while having cleared it through with the U.S. President B. Obama well in advance. Despite the increasing criticism of Washington’s policy among some part of Germans, for the majority of German voters, the USA remains a country of implementable hopes, the only power in the world possessing a high education level and the most advanced technologies. Americans, for their part, are confident of the important role that Berlin plays in world politics, particularly in what concerns the maintenance of unity within the EU. Berlin aims at further constructive interaction with the USA in the frame of NATO as well as within other Trans-Atlantic formats. Notwithstanding the steady tendency toward increasing of the Washington policy’s critical perception degree in German society, officially Berlin continues as Washington’s true ally, partner and friend. There is every reason to believe that after the 2017 Bundestag elections, the new (the former) Chancellor will have to face a modernized Trans-Atlantic partnership philosophy, with a paradigm also devised in the spirit of the bloc discipline and commitments to allies. The main concern for Berlin is not to lose its sovereign right of decision-making, including the one that deals with problems of European security and relations with Moscow. Regrettably, Germany is not putting forward any innovative ideas on aligning a new architecture of European security with Russia’s participation. Meanwhile, German scholars and experts are trying to work out a tentative algorithm of a gradual return to the West’s full-fledged dialogue with Russia, which, unfortunately, is qualified as an opponent by many politicians. Predictably, the Crimea issue will remain a long-lasting political irritant in relations between Russia and Germany. Although not every aspect of Berlin’s activation in its foreign policy finds support of the German public, and the outburst of anti-American feeling is obvious, experts believe that the government of the FRG is “merely taking stock of these phenomena and ignores them”. Evident is the gap between the government's line and the feeling of the German parties’ basis – the public. It is noteworthy that the FRG has not yet adopted the Law on Holding General Federal Referendums on key issues of the domestic and foreign policy. There is every indication to assume that the real causes of abandoning the nationwide referendums are the reluctance of the German ruling bureaucracy and even its apprehensions of the negative voting returns on sensitive problems, – such as basic documents and decisions of the EU, the export of German arms, relations with the U.S., etc. The harmony between Berlin’s "Realpolitik" and German public opinion is not yet discernible within the system of Trans-Atlantic axes.

Economic diplomacy: pandemic effect

2021 ◽  
pp. 84-97
Author(s):  
Tatyana Leonidovna Musatova
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Public Diplomacy ◽  
New World ◽  
Economic Security ◽  
Economic Diplomacy ◽  
Foreign Countries ◽  
The World ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

The article analyzes the impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic crisis on the foreign policy and diplomacy of states, including economic diplomacy. ED is interpreted as a multi-sided multi-faceted activity, an integral part of foreign policy aimed at protecting the national interests and economic security of the country. Given the interdepartmental nature of the ED, the presence of numerous actors and agents, not only state, but also public and business structures, political and foreign economic coordination on the part of the Foreign Ministries is of great importance, and this role of foreign policy departments is increasing during the pandemic crisis. The activity of the ED of Russia in 2020 was generally successful, among the main results: active participation of diplomats in the anti-epidemic work of the Government of the Russian Federation, including export flights, provision of emergency assistance by compatriots abroad, assistance to foreign countries; measures to promote the Russian vaccine in the world, establish its production abroad, and thus win new world markets for medicines; settlement of the pricing crisis on the world oil market with the leading role of Russia and Saudi Arabia; adjustment of double taxation agreements with a number of foreign countries, taking into account the domestic economic needs of the country; the growing experience of BRICS, this interstate association, which did not know the crisis, including its fight against epidemiological diseases, during the period of Russia’s presidency in the BRICS; further steps to deepen integration within the EAEU; Russia’s success in the eastern direction of foreign policy, in the development of trade exchanges and epidemiological cooperation with the ASEAN and APEC states. The new world crisis has become a catalyst for the convergence of ED methods with scientific and public diplomacy, with other diplomatic cultures that can be combined under the general name of civil diplomacy. Such a separation is required to protect the legacy of professional diplomacy, the popularity and use of which methods is growing significantly. ED, as an integral part of official diplomacy, is presented as a mediator between classical and civil diplomacy. It provides civil society with an example of the more rigorous, pragmatic, resultsoriented work that the current pandemic crisis requires.

What Changed?

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Necati Polat
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
European Union ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Identity Politics ◽  
The European Union ◽  
High Courts ◽  
Turkish Politics ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Military

This chapter provides an outline of the change that took place in Turkey between 2007 and 2011, signalling a historic shift in the use of power in the country, long controlled by a staunch and virtually autonomous bureaucracy, both military and civilian, and known as ‘the state’, in the face of the chronically fragile democratic politics, forming ‘the government’. The time-honoured identity politics of the very bureaucracy, centred on ‘Westernisation’ as a policy incentive, was deftly appropriated by the ruling AKP via newly tightened links with the European Union to transform the settled centre-periphery relations often considered to be pivotal to Turkish politics, and reconfigure access to power. The chapter details the gradual fall of the bureaucracy—that is, the military, the higher education, and the system of high courts—and recounts the basic developments in foreign policy and on the domestic scene during and immediately after the change.

Size and Foreign Policy Behavior: A Test of Two Models

1973 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 556-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurice A. East
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
World Politics ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Small States ◽  
Nation States ◽  
International Behavior ◽  
Small Powers ◽  
Policy Behavior ◽  
Foreign Policy Behavior

The categorization of states according to size has long been a part of world politics. Rothstein notes, for example, that the formalization of the categories of great and small powers occurred as a result of the signing of the Treaty of Chaumont in 1817. Recently, the concept of size has received an increasing amount of attention as a factor affecting foreign policy. One manifestation of this is the renewed interest in die foreign policy behavior of small states. In his pre-theory of foreign policy, Rosenau includes size as one of three “genotypic” variables assumed to exert a major influence on foreign policy. In addition, empirical studies have shown size to be an important factor underlying variations in the international behavior of nation-states.

scholarly journals Important contribution to Russian Latin American studies

2021 ◽  
pp. 94
Author(s):  
Anatoly Borovkov
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Political Development ◽  
American Studies ◽  
The United States ◽  
World Politics ◽  
Latin American Studies ◽  
The Government

The book examines the main trends in Mexico's international activities in the first two decades of the XXI century, as well as the leading trends in its socio-political development. The author tried to show that Mexico is more and more actively involved in solving the main problems of world politics, where it emphatically takes independent positions. Mexico's relations with the United States, with the countries of Latin America, with China and Spain, as well as the prospects for expanding ties with Russia are analyzed, Mexico's position in the UN is shown and the prospects for the development of its foreign policy under the government of Lopez Obrador.

scholarly journals Status prawny mniejszości narodowych w Republice Słowackiej

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 93-111
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Puzyniak
Keyword(s):  
Legal Status ◽  
Slovak Republic ◽  
National Minority ◽  
Minority Languages ◽  
The European Union ◽  
National Minorities ◽  
Legal Method ◽  
The Law ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Government

Położenie mniejszości narodowych na terenie Republiki Słowackiej regulują liczne akty prawne. Wśród nich znajdują się dokumenty przyjmowane na gruncie krajowym oraz rozwiązania o charakterze międzynarodowym. Celem niniejszego artykułu jest przedstawienie treści najważniejszych ustaw oraz dokumentów, które wpływają na położenie mniejszości narodowych na Słowacji, a także przybliżenie reakcji organizacji międzynarodowych na wprowadzane przez Bratysławę regulacje prawne. The legal status of national minorities in the Slovak Republic The location of national minorities in the territory of the Slovak Republic is regulated by numerous national acts, the most important of which are the constitution, the law on the use of national minority languages and the law on the state language. References to national minorities can be found in many other acts, such as the Act on counteracting discrimination, the Act on Upbringing and Education and the Act on Radio and Television. The issue of minorities is also raised in bilateral agreements, an example of which is the agreement on good neighbourliness and friendly cooperation between the Slovak Republic and the Republic of Hungary. The legal situation of minorities in Slovakia is also influenced by international organizations to which Bratislava belongs. In this case, the Council of Europe’s most significant influence, the European Union, the Central European Initiative and the United Nations. Over the years, the Slovak authorities have also created institutions responsible for activities for national minorities, and among them, an important function is performed by the Government Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic for National Minorities. This article aims to analyse the legal acts and institutions regulating the legal status of national minorities in Slovakia. The publication is also intended to show that the issue of minorities is covered in many legal solutions, and the Slovak authorities have developed a system of protection and support for this community over the years. The author used the institutional and legal method.

scholarly journals Retrospective of using the US universities and the Foreign Policy Association as elements of public diplomacy in the United States

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 286-291
Author(s):  
Alexey Vitalievich Danilov
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Public Diplomacy ◽  
Great Influence ◽  
The United States ◽  
World Politics ◽  
Information Support ◽  
State Institutions ◽  
Active Involvement ◽  
The Creation

The article covers the period of implemetation of the leading US universities and the Foreign Policy Association as elements of US public diplomacy wchich their impact in economic, political and cultural influence all over the world. The author methodically and consistently cites analytical, historical facts proving an indirect and direct impact on the foreign policy of countries. The relevance of the article is due to the high significance and influence of non-state actors on world politics nowdays. The author points out that the political course of the leadership of the United States from the second half of the 20th century was focused on more active inclusion of the country in international politics and the rejection of isolationism, which was primarily reflected in the departure from the postulates of the Monroe Doctrine and the entry of the United States into the First World War. This, in turn, had a great influence on the development of public diplomacy in the United States as a tool to promote the interests of the country, the creation of the necessary information support for foreign policy actions of the state, as well as a favorable image of the United States in other countries. Thus it required the active involvement of the leading US universities in US public diplomacy, as well as the creation of new non-state institutions.

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