Blending Politics and New Media : Mediatized Practices of EU Digital Diplomacy
Author
Summary, in English
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.
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.
Department/s
Publishing year
2018-11-25
Language
English
Publication/Series
Lund Political Studies
Issue
193
Document type
Dissertation
Publisher
Lund University
Topic
- Political Science (excluding Public Administration Studies and Globalization Studies)
Keywords
- mediatization
- public diplomacy
- digital diplomacy
- EU
- EEAS
Status
Published
Supervisor
- Douglas Brommesson
- Lisbeth Aggestam
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 0460-0037
- ISBN: 978-91-7753-896-7
- ISBN: 978-91-7753-897-4
Defence date
19 December 2018
Defence time
10:00
Defence place
Eden auditorium, Pardisgatan 5H, Lund
Opponent
- Alister Miskimmon (Professor)