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Depoliticizing feminism? The transformation of an ideology-charged concept in a nation branding context

Karlsson, Isabelle LU (2018) SKOM12 20181
Department of Strategic Communication
Abstract
Although feminism is an ideologically-charged concept that allows for various interpretations, Sweden employs a feminist foreign policy with the aim of gender equality. Sweden also seizes the value of feminism in its nation branding efforts. This study problematizes Sweden’s use of feminism as nation branding concept. It aims for understanding how feminism is enacted in Sweden’s nation branding and what this implies for power relations of the actors. To address the purpose of this study, qualitative interviews and a document study were conducted, and a critical perspective was adopted. As theoretical framework, systematically distorted communication and discursive closure are used. The analysis has shown that feminism is stripped off its... (More)
Although feminism is an ideologically-charged concept that allows for various interpretations, Sweden employs a feminist foreign policy with the aim of gender equality. Sweden also seizes the value of feminism in its nation branding efforts. This study problematizes Sweden’s use of feminism as nation branding concept. It aims for understanding how feminism is enacted in Sweden’s nation branding and what this implies for power relations of the actors. To address the purpose of this study, qualitative interviews and a document study were conducted, and a critical perspective was adopted. As theoretical framework, systematically distorted communication and discursive closure are used. The analysis has shown that feminism is stripped off its ideological meaning and distorted when enacted in Sweden’s nation branding. The concept is depoliticized and commodified to contribute to the target audience of nation branding having a positive image of Sweden. Further, the analysis has shown that the logic of nation branding, where feminism is depoliticized, clashes with the logic of traditional diplomacy, where feminism is politicized. It can be concluded that nation branding increasingly gains momentum over traditional diplomacy. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Karlsson, Isabelle LU
supervisor
organization
course
SKOM12 20181
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
nation branding, public diplomacy, diplomacy, feminism, critical perspec- tive, discursive closure, systematically distorted communication, power struggle
language
English
id
8977685
alternative location
https://gullers.se/nyheter/vinnare-utsedd-i-gullers-grupps-uppsatsstipendium/
date added to LUP
2019-07-05 09:20:27
date last changed
2019-07-05 09:20:27
@misc{8977685,
  abstract     = {{Although feminism is an ideologically-charged concept that allows for various interpretations, Sweden employs a feminist foreign policy with the aim of gender equality. Sweden also seizes the value of feminism in its nation branding efforts. This study problematizes Sweden’s use of feminism as nation branding concept. It aims for understanding how feminism is enacted in Sweden’s nation branding and what this implies for power relations of the actors. To address the purpose of this study, qualitative interviews and a document study were conducted, and a critical perspective was adopted. As theoretical framework, systematically distorted communication and discursive closure are used. The analysis has shown that feminism is stripped off its ideological meaning and distorted when enacted in Sweden’s nation branding. The concept is depoliticized and commodified to contribute to the target audience of nation branding having a positive image of Sweden. Further, the analysis has shown that the logic of nation branding, where feminism is depoliticized, clashes with the logic of traditional diplomacy, where feminism is politicized. It can be concluded that nation branding increasingly gains momentum over traditional diplomacy.}},
  author       = {{Karlsson, Isabelle}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Depoliticizing feminism? The transformation of an ideology-charged concept in a nation branding context}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}