Keywords
information policy
cultural attitudes
building a positive image
How to Cite
Abstract
The relevance of the study is due to the growing role of public diplomacy in the context of global competition for trust, reputation and symbolic influence, when the foreign policy image of the state is formed under the influence of digital communications, cultural practices and network interactions. The purpose of the article is to theoretically generalize modern approaches to public diplomacy and justify its functioning as a holistic tool for forming the foreign policy image of the state, taking into account new technological and socio-cultural conditions. The methodological basis of the study is a complex of general scientific and special methods of cognition, in particular analysis and synthesis for systematization of theoretical approaches, a comparative method for comparing different models of public diplomacy, as well as conceptual generalization for identifying the logic of interaction of digital, cultural and information tools in the process of image construction. As a result of the study, the content of the concept of public diplomacy as a multidimensional communication mechanism that combines classical diplomatic practices with digital forms of public interaction is clarified. It is established that the effectiveness of foreign policy image formation largely depends on the consistency between the declared values of the state and real political behavior, which directly affects the level of international trust. The ambivalent nature of digital diplomacy is revealed, which, on the one hand, expands the possibilities of direct influence on foreign audiences, and on the other hand, increases the vulnerability of the image to information crises and reputational risks. The role of cultural diplomacy as a relatively stable channel for the formation of positive associations, capable of mitigating political fluctuations in the perception of the state, is substantiated. It is also shown that the use of new technologies, in particular elements of artificial intelligence, transforms the logic of foreign policy communication, requiring a revision of traditional approaches to image management. The practical significance of the results lies in the possibility of their use in developing state strategies for public and digital diplomacy, improving information policy, as well as in the activities of foreign relations bodies and think tanks involved in the formation and correction of the state’s foreign policy image.
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