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The EEAS and the Politics of EU Visibility : Digitalization and Strategic Innovation

Hedling, Elsa LU (2025) p.251-273
Abstract
‘Visibility’ is a concept often used in EU terminology as a means to advancing the EU’s reputation and standing in the world. Projections of EU visibility reveal changing conditions for international recognition where being seen is highly valued. This chapter examines the link between EU foreign policy, digitalization and public diplomacy, and especially the role of visibility in European Union (EU) external action and how the quest for EU visibility has changed in a new information environment. The chapter proposes that the commitment to EU visibility reflects changing conditions for international cooperation and security that are increasingly entangled with the politics of image, narratives and perception in world politics, indicating a... (More)
‘Visibility’ is a concept often used in EU terminology as a means to advancing the EU’s reputation and standing in the world. Projections of EU visibility reveal changing conditions for international recognition where being seen is highly valued. This chapter examines the link between EU foreign policy, digitalization and public diplomacy, and especially the role of visibility in European Union (EU) external action and how the quest for EU visibility has changed in a new information environment. The chapter proposes that the commitment to EU visibility reflects changing conditions for international cooperation and security that are increasingly entangled with the politics of image, narratives and perception in world politics, indicating a changing world view and potentially a paradigmatic shift in EU foreign policy. In this context, the European External Action Service (EEAS), the EU’s diplomatic arm, has emerged with a formal mandate to increase EU visibility and engage the public(s) in matters of foreign policy. A series of challenges to EU public diplomacy such as crises, disinformation, mounting populism and new frontiers in global technology politics have however resulted in a bumpy trajectory for the EEAS efforts of managing EU visibility. The analysis builds on official documents, communications and 27 semi-structured interviews in the EEAS between 2017 and 2023. It dissects and compares the role of EU visibility in efforts of promotion and protection (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
Europe’s World : Policy Paradigms, Strategic Thinking and the Anti-Liberal Challenge - Policy Paradigms, Strategic Thinking and the Anti-Liberal Challenge
editor
Jørgensen, Knud Erik ; Brems Knudsen, Tonny and Landorff, Laura
pages
251 - 273
publisher
Bristol University Press
ISBN
9781529243642
9781529243635
9781529243611
DOI
10.51952/9781529243642.ch011
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
63fc3391-6c05-46e7-9129-35a210bdbb88
date added to LUP
2025-05-29 20:58:01
date last changed
2025-06-09 13:43:17
@inbook{63fc3391-6c05-46e7-9129-35a210bdbb88,
  abstract     = {{‘Visibility’ is a concept often used in EU terminology as a means to advancing the EU’s reputation and standing in the world. Projections of EU visibility reveal changing conditions for international recognition where being seen is highly valued. This chapter examines the link between EU foreign policy, digitalization and public diplomacy, and especially the role of visibility in European Union (EU) external action and how the quest for EU visibility has changed in a new information environment. The chapter proposes that the commitment to EU visibility reflects changing conditions for international cooperation and security that are increasingly entangled with the politics of image, narratives and perception in world politics, indicating a changing world view and potentially a paradigmatic shift in EU foreign policy. In this context, the European External Action Service (EEAS), the EU’s diplomatic arm, has emerged with a formal mandate to increase EU visibility and engage the public(s) in matters of foreign policy. A series of challenges to EU public diplomacy such as crises, disinformation, mounting populism and new frontiers in global technology politics have however resulted in a bumpy trajectory for the EEAS efforts of managing EU visibility. The analysis builds on official documents, communications and 27 semi-structured interviews in the EEAS between 2017 and 2023. It dissects and compares the role of EU visibility in efforts of promotion and protection}},
  author       = {{Hedling, Elsa}},
  booktitle    = {{Europe’s World : Policy Paradigms, Strategic Thinking and the Anti-Liberal Challenge}},
  editor       = {{Jørgensen, Knud Erik and Brems Knudsen, Tonny and Landorff, Laura}},
  isbn         = {{9781529243642}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  pages        = {{251--273}},
  publisher    = {{Bristol University Press}},
  title        = {{The EEAS and the Politics of EU Visibility : Digitalization and Strategic Innovation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.51952/9781529243642.ch011}},
  doi          = {{10.51952/9781529243642.ch011}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}