The Place of Popular Music in Public Diplomacy: Experiences of Countries of Former Western and Eastern Bloc and Serbian Challenges

Abstract

The significant role that the use of art and popular music had for the strengthening of political influence of particular countries in international relations was well documented in the recent past. According to results of large number of studies that appeared in the last decade, governments and political elites of various European countries as well as US have shown great interest in materializing political potentials of different types of music and music genres in the international arena since 19th century (and earlier). The gradual rise of prestige of certain forms of popular music in the diplomatic activities worldwide coincided, on the one hand, with the expansion of global music industry and its relevance in various parts of the world, and, on the other, with the intensifying of Cold War...