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WP3 - Postcolonial cosmopolitanism vs.
national interests

Lead

UWr

Partners

USz, UvA, UB

Associated Partners

ENRS, Krzyżowa
Prof. Beata Ociepka
Professor Public Diplomacy Lab - UWr

Can post-colonial approaches work in explaining political tensions within the European Union?

Can cultural diplomacy contribute to de-colonize trans-European narratives?

Objectives

This Work Package's objective is to review the processes of alienation between the West and the East of Europe, as reflected in mutual perceptions, through the prism of post-colonial theory, taking the political and cultural relations materialising the field of cultural diplomacy as a case.

The study answers the questions, what is the impact of the post-colonial narratives in the West and the East of Europe? Can the post-colonial approach be useful in the process of decoding the very term of European heritage and European values in the West and in the East? To what extent does the cultural diplomacy of the EU countries in East and West reflect ethnocentrism, and to what extent does it contribute to more understanding in international relations (as in line with the cosmopolitan approach)?

The aim of the project is to pave the way for a new dialogue between stakeholders, state and non-state actors in the fields of cultural and public diplomacy, allowing for more diversity in the narratives of nation states and an overarching European community.

Specific goals:

  • Transfer methods of analyzing postcolonial discourses to the field of cultural diplomacy within the EU.
  • Study the role of memory politics in cultural diplomacy, with a focus on countries like Poland, especially during political crises in Eastern Europe.
  • Analyze documents and messages produced through cultural diplomacy cooperation, such as those from EUNIC and EUNIC clusters.
  • Develop alternative approaches to cultural diplomacy.
  • Focus on the increasing role of information flow on social media in the context of cultural diplomacy.
  • Apply a postcolonial framework in the study of media, including social media platforms.

What we are working on

Research

This task focuses on applying postcolonial theory to East-West relations, particularly in memory politics between countries like Poland and Ukraine. Led by the University of Szczecin, the team will analyze case studies to develop a framework for cultural diplomacy.

Experience

This task involves translating research findings into practice, specifically through a workshop for young people on reducing stereotypes and postcolonial narratives. Led by the University of Wroclaw, it includes collaboration with the Krzyżowa Foundation and ENRS to educate on memory politics.

Recommendation

Led by the University of Amsterdam, this task will produce recommendations and a policy paper based on research findings on postcolonial narratives in cultural diplomacy. The team aims to influence diplomatic practices and international cooperation, particularly in EUNIC clusters.

Events


Roundtable: Strategies of Foreign Cultural Policy at the Time of Crisis.
Workshop & Open Panel: Colonial Post-Colonial Neo-Colonial Decolonial?