A forum for discussion, exchange, and collaboration on the relationship between culture and power in international relations from the 19yh century to the present.

New Perspectives on Soft Power and Cultural Diplomacy

Over the last decades, the cultural turn in International Relations and the growing dialogue between historians and social scientists have profoundly transformed the study of international affairs. Increasing attention has been devoted to the role of ideas, identities, representations, and cultural practices in shaping international orders, challenging approaches centred primarily on military, political, and economic power. Within this framework, scholars have increasingly recognised that cultural exchanges have often functioned as a principal infrastructure of international relations, sustaining contact when traditional diplomatic channels are strained, suspended, or politically contested.

Moreover, recent scholarship has moved beyond the Cold War framework that long dominated studies of cultural diplomacy and soft power, embracing longer historical trajectories and more diverse geographical contexts, while also broadening the range of actors considered to include not only major powers but also small, medium-sized, and peripheral states shaping international influence and cultural connections across borders.

Building on this, this conference seeks to provide a focused and interactive forum for discussion, exchange, and collaboration on the relationship between culture and power in international relations from the nineteenth century to the present. It welcomes contributions that investigate the changing forms, actors, and practices of cultural diplomacy and soft power across different political regimes, international orders, and geographical settings, while encouraging comparative, transnational, and interdisciplinary perspectives.

Call for communications (📎 PDF)

Contributions may address, but are not limited to, the following topics:

1. New perspectives in Cultural Diplomacy: Theories and approaches

Cultural diplomacy of authoritarian systems toward democratic nations
Small-state and peripheral-power cultural diplomacy
Non-Western and post-colonial perspectives on soft power
Religion as a form of cultural diplomacy
Cultural diplomacy in periods of crisis

2. Cultural Projection and Everyday Cultural Diplomacy

Art, cinema, music, photography, and other cultural expressions as instruments of international influence
Tourism, cultural routes, and heritage destinations in the construction of national images
Religious actors, faith-based networks, and cultural diplomacy
Gastronomy, food cultures, and gastrodiplomacy

3. Heritage Diplomacy

Museums, archives, and heritage institutions in international relations
Restitution, repatriation, and cultural diplomacy
Heritage diplomacy and international cultural cooperation in the post-colonial framework

4. Education, Language, and Academic Diplomacy

Universities and higher education as actors of international influence
Academic mobility and exchange programs
Language promotion and linguistic diplomacy

5. Diasporas, Migrant Communities, and Grassroots Diplomacy

Diasporas as actors of cultural diplomacy
Migrant communities and transnational connections
Civil society and international cultural relations
Grassroots and people-to-people diplomacy

6. Sports, Mega-Events, and International Projection

Olympic Games, World Cups, and other mega-events
International exhibitions, nation branding, and international visibility
Music festivals and geopolitical competition

7. Corporate, Scientific, and Technological Diplomacy

Corporate diplomacy and private-sector influence
Science diplomacy and international cooperation
Space programs, technological achievement, and international prestige

Submission Guidelines

Please submit to this email: npcd2027@ics.ulisboa.pt
An abstract of up to 500 words
A short biography of up to 150 words

Important Dates

Abstract submission deadline: 20 October 2026
Notification of acceptance: 15 November 2026