Blending Politics and New Media : Mediatized Practices of EU Digital Diplomacy
(2018) In Lund Political Studies- Abstract
- This thesis explores the relationship between politics and new media in the context of digital diplomacy at the European External Action Service (EEAS) 2011-2017. In contrast to dominant approaches to the mediatization of politics that consider political logic to be dominated or even replaced by media logic, it gives greater emphasis to the role of the political context, its actors and their practices. In effect, attention is directed to the ways in which a diplomatic organization internalizes media logic. This entails that the thesis develops a politics-centered approach to the mediatization of politics where mediatization is considered an inter-institutional process. It argues that this process can be studied through attention to... (More)
- This thesis explores the relationship between politics and new media in the context of digital diplomacy at the European External Action Service (EEAS) 2011-2017. In contrast to dominant approaches to the mediatization of politics that consider political logic to be dominated or even replaced by media logic, it gives greater emphasis to the role of the political context, its actors and their practices. In effect, attention is directed to the ways in which a diplomatic organization internalizes media logic. This entails that the thesis develops a politics-centered approach to the mediatization of politics where mediatization is considered an inter-institutional process. It argues that this process can be studied through attention to everyday practices that signal varying degrees of blending logics. Using the case of the EU’s digital diplomacy, it studies how practices of digital diplomacy have developed and are talked about among their practitioners.
The empirical material consists of 23 informant interviews conducted during a number of visits to the EEAS in Brussels, official documents, newsletters and social media observations (Twitter, Facebook and YouTube). The case study analyzes the development of digital diplomacy at the EEAS through three empirical snapshots that illustrate crisis management communication during the Ukraine crisis 2013-2014, responses to Russian disinformation 2015-2016 and the projection of the EU Global Strategy 2016-2017. The conclusion is that the mediatization of politics happens through an interaction of media logic (here new media) and the hosting political context, where expectations, threats, leadership, resources, skills, learning and individuals influence the practices where new media and diplomacy ultimately blend. (Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- Denna avhandling utforskar relationen mellan politik och nya medier genom en studie av digital diplomati i den Europeiska utrikestjänsten (EEAS) 2011-2017. Den belyser hur en diplomatisk organisation internaliserar medielogik. Traditionella ansatser utgår ofta från att medielogiken tar över den politiska logiken. I denna avhandling betonas istället betydelsen av politisk kontext, dess aktörer och praktiker. Detta innebär en politikcentrerad ansats till politikens medialisering där medialisering ses som en interinstitutionell process. Avhandlingen hävdar vidare att denna process bäst studeras genom att uppmärksamma dagliga praktiker som i olika utsträckning vittnar om blandade logiker. Genom en studie av EUs digitala diplomati undersöks... (More)
- Denna avhandling utforskar relationen mellan politik och nya medier genom en studie av digital diplomati i den Europeiska utrikestjänsten (EEAS) 2011-2017. Den belyser hur en diplomatisk organisation internaliserar medielogik. Traditionella ansatser utgår ofta från att medielogiken tar över den politiska logiken. I denna avhandling betonas istället betydelsen av politisk kontext, dess aktörer och praktiker. Detta innebär en politikcentrerad ansats till politikens medialisering där medialisering ses som en interinstitutionell process. Avhandlingen hävdar vidare att denna process bäst studeras genom att uppmärksamma dagliga praktiker som i olika utsträckning vittnar om blandade logiker. Genom en studie av EUs digitala diplomati undersöks hur praktiker av digital diplomati har utvecklats och hur utövarna talar om dessa praktiker.
Det empiriska materialet består av 23 informantintervjuer genomförda i Bryssel, dokument, nyhetsbrev och observationer på sociala medier. Studien analyserar utvecklingen av digital diplomati i den Europeiska utrikestjänsten genom tre nedslag som illustrerar kriskommunikation under Ukrainakrisen 2013-2014, försök att bemöta rysk desinformation 2015-2016 och kommunikationen av EUs globala strategi efter 2016. Slutsatsen är att politikens medialisering sker genom en interaktion av medielogik (här nya medier) och den politiska kontexten där förväntningar, hot, ledarskap, resurser, kompetens, lärande och individer påverkar praktikerna i vilka nya medier och diplomati blandas. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/c7905239-a720-4c95-86c3-100ebc42fa87
- author
- Hedling, Elsa LU
- supervisor
- opponent
-
- Professor Miskimmon, Alister, Queen's University Belfast
- organization
- publishing date
- 2018-11-25
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- mediatization, public diplomacy, digital diplomacy, EU, EEAS
- in
- Lund Political Studies
- issue
- 193
- pages
- 284 pages
- publisher
- Lund University
- defense location
- Eden auditorium, Pardisgatan 5H, Lund
- defense date
- 2018-12-19 10:00:00
- ISSN
- 0460-0037
- ISBN
- 978-91-7753-897-4
- 978-91-7753-896-7
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- c7905239-a720-4c95-86c3-100ebc42fa87
- date added to LUP
- 2018-11-26 16:30:31
- date last changed
- 2024-03-25 07:44:47
@phdthesis{c7905239-a720-4c95-86c3-100ebc42fa87,
abstract = {{This thesis explores the relationship between politics and new media in the context of digital diplomacy at the European External Action Service (EEAS) 2011-2017. In contrast to dominant approaches to the mediatization of politics that consider political logic to be dominated or even replaced by media logic, it gives greater emphasis to the role of the political context, its actors and their practices. In effect, attention is directed to the ways in which a diplomatic organization internalizes media logic. This entails that the thesis develops a politics-centered approach to the mediatization of politics where mediatization is considered an inter-institutional process. It argues that this process can be studied through attention to everyday practices that signal varying degrees of blending logics. Using the case of the EU’s digital diplomacy, it studies how practices of digital diplomacy have developed and are talked about among their practitioners. <br/><br/>The empirical material consists of 23 informant interviews conducted during a number of visits to the EEAS in Brussels, official documents, newsletters and social media observations (Twitter, Facebook and YouTube). The case study analyzes the development of digital diplomacy at the EEAS through three empirical snapshots that illustrate crisis management communication during the Ukraine crisis 2013-2014, responses to Russian disinformation 2015-2016 and the projection of the EU Global Strategy 2016-2017. The conclusion is that the mediatization of politics happens through an interaction of media logic (here new media) and the hosting political context, where expectations, threats, leadership, resources, skills, learning and individuals influence the practices where new media and diplomacy ultimately blend.}},
author = {{Hedling, Elsa}},
isbn = {{978-91-7753-897-4}},
issn = {{0460-0037}},
keywords = {{mediatization; public diplomacy; digital diplomacy; EU; EEAS}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{11}},
number = {{193}},
publisher = {{Lund University}},
school = {{Lund University}},
series = {{Lund Political Studies}},
title = {{Blending Politics and New Media : Mediatized Practices of EU Digital Diplomacy}},
year = {{2018}},
}