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Digital Norm Contestation and Feminist Foreign Policy

Aggestam, Karin LU orcid ; Bergman Rosamond, Annika LU and Hedling, Elsa LU (2024) In International Studies Perspectives 25(2). p.226-245
Abstract
This article examines the role of digital norm contestation in feminist foreign policy (FFP). It analyzes how states that participate in digital diplomacy are involved in challenging and resisting norms, values and expectations related to feminist positionings in the digital environment. The article presents an analytical framework for the study of digital norm contestation and conducts an empirical case study of Sweden as the first country in the world to brand its foreign policy “feminist.” This triggered a process of digital norm contestation, particularly visible in the area of sexual and reproductive health and rights. Three empirical vignettes of digital norm contestation are analyzed. The first example illustrates how the Swedish... (More)
This article examines the role of digital norm contestation in feminist foreign policy (FFP). It analyzes how states that participate in digital diplomacy are involved in challenging and resisting norms, values and expectations related to feminist positionings in the digital environment. The article presents an analytical framework for the study of digital norm contestation and conducts an empirical case study of Sweden as the first country in the world to brand its foreign policy “feminist.” This triggered a process of digital norm contestation, particularly visible in the area of sexual and reproductive health and rights. Three empirical vignettes of digital norm contestation are analyzed. The first example illustrates how the Swedish government was able to exercise global leadership to visually perform and digitally advocate the contestation of the US global gag rule. The second example underlines how the Swedish government harnessed its leadership by connecting it to grassroots contestations of the global gag rule through digital advocacy networks. The third example illuminates how the Swedish government’s visit to Iran backfired because of a lost sense of control over visual performative effects in the digital environment. By way of conclusion, we suggest three avenues that can be pursued to further the research agenda on gender, digital norm contestation, and foreign policy. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Sweden, feminist foreign policy, norm contestation, digital diplomacy, SRHR
in
International Studies Perspectives
volume
25
issue
2
pages
226 - 245
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85192697271
ISSN
1528-3577
DOI
10.1093/isp/ekad017
project
Digital Diplomacy in a Turbulent Global World
Gender and Foreign Policy
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0b530c30-01cc-4fbe-b698-c37f976a2b38
alternative location
http://10.1093/isp/ekad017
date added to LUP
2023-08-26 09:06:42
date last changed
2025-04-28 11:18:25
@article{0b530c30-01cc-4fbe-b698-c37f976a2b38,
  abstract     = {{This article examines the role of digital norm contestation in feminist foreign policy (FFP). It analyzes how states that participate in digital diplomacy are involved in challenging and resisting norms, values and expectations related to feminist positionings in the digital environment. The article presents an analytical framework for the study of digital norm contestation and conducts an empirical case study of Sweden as the first country in the world to brand its foreign policy “feminist.” This triggered a process of digital norm contestation, particularly visible in the area of sexual and reproductive health and rights. Three empirical vignettes of digital norm contestation are analyzed. The first example illustrates how the Swedish government was able to exercise global leadership to visually perform and digitally advocate the contestation of the US global gag rule. The second example underlines how the Swedish government harnessed its leadership by connecting it to grassroots contestations of the global gag rule through digital advocacy networks. The third example illuminates how the Swedish government’s visit to Iran backfired because of a lost sense of control over visual performative effects in the digital environment. By way of conclusion, we suggest three avenues that can be pursued to further the research agenda on gender, digital norm contestation, and foreign policy.}},
  author       = {{Aggestam, Karin and Bergman Rosamond, Annika and Hedling, Elsa}},
  issn         = {{1528-3577}},
  keywords     = {{Sweden; feminist foreign policy; norm contestation; digital diplomacy; SRHR}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{226--245}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{International Studies Perspectives}},
  title        = {{Digital Norm Contestation and Feminist Foreign Policy}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/isp/ekad017}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/isp/ekad017}},
  volume       = {{25}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}