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Does Public Diplomacy Need a Theory of Disruption? : The Role of Nonstate Actors in Counter-branding the Swedish COVID-19 Response

Pamment, James LU (2021) In Journal of Public Diplomacy 1(1). p.80-110
Abstract
Public diplomacy (PD) scholars tend to consider two main principals: the country or agent that conducts PD (Actor A), and target groups in the host country in which PD is conducted (Actor B). The field currently lacks theories of how communications between Actors A and B can be disrupted by a third party, such as a group of motivated trolls, an organised advocacy group, or a hostile country and its agents. The purpose of this article is to outline some theoretical considerations for how the PD research field might move away from a two-actor model of PD to one in which disruption is part of the discussion. The case study explores the activities of an interest group called Media Watchdogs of Sweden (MEWAS). MEWAS was a group of around 200... (More)
Public diplomacy (PD) scholars tend to consider two main principals: the country or agent that conducts PD (Actor A), and target groups in the host country in which PD is conducted (Actor B). The field currently lacks theories of how communications between Actors A and B can be disrupted by a third party, such as a group of motivated trolls, an organised advocacy group, or a hostile country and its agents. The purpose of this article is to outline some theoretical considerations for how the PD research field might move away from a two-actor model of PD to one in which disruption is part of the discussion. The case study explores the activities of an interest group called Media Watchdogs of Sweden (MEWAS). MEWAS was a group of around 200 members who met in a hidden Facebook group to coordinate off-platform activities aimed at influencing perceptions of how the Swedish government handled the COVID-19 pandemic in the eyes of foreign governments, researchers, decision-makers, and media. Much critical news coverage in the international press has been linked to this group. Unpacking some of MEWAS' activities, which can be considered a quite typical mixture of legitimate and illegitimate communication techniques used by activist groups, can help to shed light on some difficult questions regarding disruption in PD. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Information operations, propaganda, disinformation, COVID-19, Sweden, soft power
in
Journal of Public Diplomacy
volume
1
issue
1
pages
80 - 110
ISSN
2765-768X
DOI
10.23045/jpd.2021.1.1.080
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
7732b0d6-e2f1-4af1-b02a-eb132b6271ec
date added to LUP
2022-10-27 20:26:15
date last changed
2022-10-28 11:15:49
@article{7732b0d6-e2f1-4af1-b02a-eb132b6271ec,
  abstract     = {{Public diplomacy (PD) scholars tend to consider two main principals: the country or agent that conducts PD (Actor A), and target groups in the host country in which PD is conducted (Actor B). The field currently lacks theories of how communications between Actors A and B can be disrupted by a third party, such as a group of motivated trolls, an organised advocacy group, or a hostile country and its agents. The purpose of this article is to outline some theoretical considerations for how the PD research field might move away from a two-actor model of PD to one in which disruption is part of the discussion. The case study explores the activities of an interest group called Media Watchdogs of Sweden (MEWAS). MEWAS was a group of around 200 members who met in a hidden Facebook group to coordinate off-platform activities aimed at influencing perceptions of how the Swedish government handled the COVID-19 pandemic in the eyes of foreign governments, researchers, decision-makers, and media. Much critical news coverage in the international press has been linked to this group. Unpacking some of MEWAS' activities, which can be considered a quite typical mixture of legitimate and illegitimate communication techniques used by activist groups, can help to shed light on some difficult questions regarding disruption in PD.}},
  author       = {{Pamment, James}},
  issn         = {{2765-768X}},
  keywords     = {{Information operations; propaganda; disinformation; COVID-19; Sweden; soft power}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{80--110}},
  series       = {{Journal of Public Diplomacy}},
  title        = {{Does Public Diplomacy Need a Theory of Disruption? : The Role of Nonstate Actors in Counter-branding the Swedish COVID-19 Response}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.23045/jpd.2021.1.1.080}},
  doi          = {{10.23045/jpd.2021.1.1.080}},
  volume       = {{1}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}