TITLE:
The Role of British Council in UK Culture Diplomacy
AUTHORS:
Jingyi Zhou
KEYWORDS:
Culture Diplomacy, British Council, Culture Institution, United Kingdom
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Political Science,
Vol.12 No.4,
October
20,
2022
ABSTRACT: The UK and the British Council have long been
recognized as global leaders in the use of culture as an instrument of
diplomacy and foreign policy. However, as the cultural landscape in Europe begins
to shift as a result of Brexit, the UK’s cultural diplomacy has become
increasingly important. This paper provides a systematic review of the British
Council’s role in British cultural diplomacy by mapping its policy instruments,
organizational framework, and overseas activities. By critically analyzing the
interaction between the British Council and British cultural diplomacy, the
study discusses the inherent relationship between national strategic planning
and the different policy instruments and activities it generates. The British
Council’s global activities demonstrate that cultural institutions provide an
important reference for audiences as creators and communicators of cultural
diplomacy and soft power narratives.