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Sveriges nation branding i Italien : En analys av kulturutbyten och internationella relationer

På svenska

Author

  • Linnea Hampus

Summary, in English

At the pace of globalization, the phenomenon of nation branding is increasingly important. In contemporary international relations, many states are vigorously using marketing concepts and techniques while promoting themselves to enhance a good image, which is seen as essential for attracting tourism, trade, investment, and generally increase their role in global affairs. Sweden is as well increasingly using nation branding articulating a positive self-image, often focusing on concepts and issues such as stable democracy, gender equality and environmental consciousness. In this thesis, the Swedish self-promotion in Italy is analytically scrutinized. Sweden already has a good image in Italy, partially due to the two states’ long history of good political, economic, and cultural relations. Still, Swedish nation branding in Italy is increasingly active, which is both an interesting and a somewhat unstudied phenomenon. This thesis studies how the Swedish state markets itself in Italy via public actors' official channels of communication with a focus on social media. Methodologically, the study is carried out through a thematic narrative analysis of the strategies and messages articulated by the Swedish Institute and the Swedish Embassy in Rome. The analyzed national self-promotion is structured around four profile areas – thematic categories – emphasized by the ‘Board for the Promotion of Sweden Abroad’: innovation, creativity, society, and sustainability. The conducted thematic narrative analysis concludes that this combination of factors contributes to Sweden's positive and interesting image both nationally and internationally, as it prioritizes quality of life, sustainability, innovation, cultural influence, and community. The study sheds light on this understudied phenomenon and highlights the importance of nation branding in the context of globalization and international relations.

Department/s

Publishing year

2023

Language

Swedish

Document type

Student publication for Bachelor's degree

Topic

  • Law and Political Science
  • Cultural Sciences

Keywords

  • Sweden promotion
  • nation branding
  • soft power
  • Sweden
  • Italy
  • European Studies

Supervisor

  • Mattias Nowak