Description
In a globalised world, many states seek to promote their international reputation and sphere of influence by relying on various advertising campaigns and methods. Coined as nation branding in the International Relations field, this practice enables actors to imagine and then present themselves in a historically specific form. In the wake of the declining liberal global order, some non-Western states being ruled by authoritarian leaders, such as China, Russia and Turkey, have been in the process of ‘rebranding’ their existing self-image. In doing so, they draw aspirations from their glorious imperial history and rich cultural heritage, disseminating subjective grand narratives about their self. We argue that this extant body of literature has not fully addressed two intertwined points. The first point underlines the identity transformation that non-Western states have undergone in light of the declining liberal order and their search for ‘authenticity’ as a by-product of this decline. The second is the direct relationship between the existential quests of these states and their rebranding practices. This article cross-fertilizes nation branding with the unexplored authentic self concept in existential philosophy literature to offer nuanced insights towards these specific developments. Proceeding on this, it develops a conceptual framework looking at the complex relationship between nation branding, geopolitical desires, and public diplomacy.
