Although military intervention and economic coercion appear to dominate current international affairs, culture, in a broad sense, remains a fundamental aspect of international relations, as demonstrated by contemporary ‘culture wars’. Previous research has shown how various actors, ranging from great powers to non-sovereign governments, frequently in cooperation with non-state actors, have used cultural resources —from political philosophy to technical training— and products —including books, artworks and films— to pursue national interest, exert international influence, establish long-term cooperation and promote mutual understanding. Cultural strategies and practices have therefore played a significant role in shaping modern diplomacy over the past two centuries. This special issue seeks to emphasise these alternative forms of influence by bringing together historical case studies in which cultural  assets have been deployed by different actors to achieve their foreign policy goals.  

The editors are open to submissions from scholars at any stage of their academic careers from across the globe as the work-in-progress event will be hybrid. We welcome papers examining cultural foreign policies conducted in any region at any historical period of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Please, download the full Call for Papers HERE

Deadline:  15 October, 2026