Variables for a history of small states’ imaging practices – The case of Finland’s “international communication” in the 1970s–1980s

Clerc, Louis

doi:10.1057/s41254-016-0008-8

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…At the fundamental level, national images could be defined as conceptions of 'imagined communities' (Anderson 1991) that can be shared by the ingroup ('the members of the nation') or outgroup ('the members of other nations'). Common to these images are that there may be underlying political or economic reasons for reinforcing them but they may also serve a symbolical function to stand out positively from other countries (Clerc 2016). In recent research, country images are often approached from the perspective of nation branding, referring to an intentional attempt to create positive associations with a particular country, or from the perspective of foreign images guiding the orientation towards a particular country (Clerc 2016;Ipatti 2019).…”

Section: National Images As Social Representationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Common to these images are that there may be underlying political or economic reasons for reinforcing them but they may also serve a symbolical function to stand out positively from other countries (Clerc 2016). In recent research, country images are often approached from the perspective of nation branding, referring to an intentional attempt to create positive associations with a particular country, or from the perspective of foreign images guiding the orientation towards a particular country (Clerc 2016;Ipatti 2019). Furthermore, national images are often approached from the perspective of current business and marketing interests (e.g.…”

Section: National Images As Social Representationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…After the independence in 1917, Finns sought to capitalize on the positive international reputation they had already won. According to Clerc (2016) the construction of Finland's image in the 1920s and 1930s was a combination of improvisation and organized propagation, serving both political and economic interests as well as the young republic's need to form a national identity. In general, Finland's image abroad consisted of the ideas of Finland as a land of winter, high levels of education and sports, as well as the idea of Finland as a Nordic country.…”

Section: Finland As a Progressive But Traditional European Nation 1910-1954mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Finnish public relation organizations were employed to gain international sympathy during the WWII (Clerc 2016). In the US, the Winter War attracted positive attention towards Finland including romantic metaphors of 'David' Finland against the 'Goliath' Soviet Union (Paasivirta 1962, 110-113; see also Raento and Brunn 2008).…”

Section: Finland As the Opposite To The Soviet Union 1940-1989mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Developed but close to nature: the image of Finland in the National Geographic Magazine from the 1900s to the 2010s

Hakoköngäs

Kivioja

Kleemola

2021

International Journal of Cultural Policy

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The present article focuses on the image of Finland in the National Geographic Magazine between 1905 and 2013. The study contributes to the research on national images by answering the following questions: a) how are Finland and the Finns represented in the photojournalist articles in the magazine, b) how has the image of Finland changed over the decades, and c) what kind of cultural, social, and political meanings are conveyed through the image(s)? The research material consists of 37 English written articles including in total 250 photographs and other images. The results show four overlapping but still distinctive phases in the thematic transformation of the image: Finland as a part of the diverse Russian Empire, Finland as a progressive but traditional European nation, Finland as the opposite to the Soviet Union, and Finland as a country of wild nature. The findings are discussed in light of the previous national image research.

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Section: National Images As Social Representationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: National Images As Social Representationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Finland As a Progressive But Traditional European Nation 1910-1954mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Finland As the Opposite To The Soviet Union 1940-1989mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Developed but close to nature: the image of Finland in the National Geographic Magazine from the 1900s to the 2010s

Hakoköngäs

Kivioja

Kleemola

2021

International Journal of Cultural Policy

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Studying Finland’s Cultural Diplomacy from World War II to the CSCE

Clerc

2022

Palgrave Macmillan Series in Global Public Diplomacy

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Between 1945 and the Helsinki CSCE meeting in 1975, personalities and institutions in Finland’s government discussed the role of the state in the country’s international cultural relations, both in the frame of the Cold War and in the context of a rapidly changing welfare state. After a period of war, the reality of Finland’s opening up to the world could be seen in the emergence of new cultural forms, new movements of population, new economic activities, and a surge in international trade contacts. Behind these spontaneous changes, one could also discern the handiwork of a series of public institutions and personalities that worked to change and modernize Finland’s society and its position in the world. This book is an effort to understand what international cultural relations meant for Finland’s foreign policy managers, and to document the development of state activism in this domain during the first three decades of the Cold War.

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Soft Power Rich, Public Diplomacy Poor: An Assessment of Taiwan's External Communications

Rawnsley¹

2017

The China Quarterly

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Accepting that Taiwan has accumulated “soft power” since the introduction of democratic reforms in the late 1980s, this paper assesses Taiwan's external communications during Ma Ying-jeou's presidency and how its soft power resources have been exercised. Demonstrating the strategic turn from political warfare to public and cultural diplomacy, the paper begins with the premise that the priority must be to increase familiarity with Taiwan among foreign publics. It then argues that any assessment of external communications in the Ma administration must consider the impact of two key decisions: first, the dissolution of the Government Information Office and the transfer of its responsibilities for international communications to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a new Ministry of Culture, and second, the priority given to cultural themes in Taiwan's external communications.

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Variables for a history of small states’ imaging practices – The case of Finland’s “international communication” in the 1970s–1980s

Abstract: He has published extensively on the history of international relations, with a focus on Nordic foreign policies and diplomatic relations. His current researches deal with diplomatic practices, Franco-Nordic relations and the Nordic countries' imaging practices.

Cited by 6 publications

References 13 publications

Developed but close to nature: the image of Finland in the National Geographic Magazine from the 1900s to the 2010s

Developed but close to nature: the image of Finland in the National Geographic Magazine from the 1900s to the 2010s

Studying Finland’s Cultural Diplomacy from World War II to the CSCE

Soft Power Rich, Public Diplomacy Poor: An Assessment of Taiwan's External Communications

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