Beyond the battle of narratives : global soft power dynamics and the EU’s strategic approach on international cultural relations in the context of the emerging new world order

Abstract

This paper argues that global soft power dynamics and the key actors’ behaviour in the battle of narratives positions the EU’s strategic approach on international cultural relations beyond this battle. Even though this approach originally counted on a well-functioning liberal democracy guided by the rule of law, its open and inclusive nature complemented by its readiness to engage in dialogue and focus on the relational process aiming to build trust renders it a useful asset in the emerging multipolar world. For the success of the EU approach collaborative partners are essential and their level of genuine engagement matters. At the positive end of the global spectrum are the democracies of the Global West and Ukraine, while its war of aggression put Russia firmly on the opposite end. Russia`s soft power has in fact (almost) always been reliant on the instrumentalisation of culture, clearly attempting to disrupt the exisiting system of international relations and to reconstruct the Cold Warera balance of power politics, dividing the world into spheres of influence. Russia’s soft coercion efforts are pivotal in its colonial war aimed at the destruction of not just the Ukrainian state, but also of Ukraine’s national and cultural identity, language and history. Ukraine’s response to this “weaponisation of cultural identity” was the direct opposite of Russia`s approach. With active EU support, a full scale cultural renewal embraced democratic values, butressing Ukraine’s Western orientation and contributing to a wider societal transformation that reinforces its anti-colonial resistance. China presents a conundrum. Its huge cultural potential and exceptional global significance make a strong case for the EU to develop a specific cultural relations strategy with the Asian superpower. On the other hand, China’s regular interference with cultural freedom within Europe, its internal restrictions on artistic freedom, cultural and religious rights as well as its increasing alliance with Russia on Ukraine and on disrupting the current rules based world order renders this difficult to envisage. Given such a scenario, combined with the importance of trust building, dialogue, co-creation, and seeking equity and fairness to address collective challenges in cultural relations, the Global South holds the biggest potential for a reinforced implementation of the EU strategic approach. In the Global South, the EU is generally seen as an attractive and “capable actor,” performing well in culture and sport in particular. It is already actively engaged in cultural co-creation and intercultural dialogue with many countries, and supports initiatives to protect and promote cultural heritage, successful European Spaces of Culture projects have been rolling out on all continents (except Australia) since 2019. My paper contends that a reinforced cultural relations approach, complemented by conventional forms of cultural diplomacy and public diplomacy, should be used in a balanced manner. This would require targeted, concrete flagship projects in each domain with “differentiated implementation”, adjusted to specific needs with full involvement of local actors and stakeholders. This could improve coordination among institutional actors. Such an approach also implies moving beyond the rigid application of conceptual approaches, as instead of competing with other methods, this new multifactor approach would offer a scale of choices for concrete actions on the ground which would be adapted to local circumstances. Engaging in genuine dialogue, meaningful co-creation and mutually beneficial collaboration with local partners resonates well not just with the basic principles of the cultural relations approach. It also meets the clear message coming from the Global South in the wake of Russia`s war and their search for their own place in the new world power constellation. The countries of the Global South are diverse, have their own histories and identities, and are rejecting geopolitical binaries in favour of multi-alignment and interest-based dialogues. The EU and its Member States, acting collectively, have by far the largest cultural network to engage effectively in third countries across the globe in terms of reinforced cultural relations approach, conventional forms of cultural diplomacy, and public diplomacy. The paradigm shift in international relations due to the Russian invasion and due to the way culture is used by other prominent global actors would fully justify continuing the implementation of the Joint Communication with high ambitions. This implementation should be based on a coherent vision in terms of the overall objectives of the EU`s international cultural relations approach, supported with strong political commitment, leadership, and personal involvement from the top level of EU institutions.