Nation Branding, Public Relations and Soft Power: Corporatizing Poland provides an empirically grounded analysis of changes in the way in which various actors seek to manage Poland's national image in world opinion. It explores how and why changes in political economy have shaped these actors and their use of soft power in a way that is influenced by public relations, corporate communication, and marketing practices.

By examining the discourse and practices of professional nation branders who have re-shaped the relationship between collective identities and national image management, it plots changes in the way in which Poland's national image is communicated, and culturally reshaped, creating tensions between national identity and democracy. The book demonstrates that nation branding is a consequence of the corporatization of political governance, soft power and national identity, while revealing how the Poland "brand" is shaping public and foreign affairs.

Challenging and original, this book will be of interest to scholars in public relations, corporate communications, political marketing and international relations.

About the Author

Pawel Surowiec, Ph.D, is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Media and Communication, Bournemouth University, UK and Research Fellow at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. He lectures in Political Economy of Public Relations and leads a module on International Relations. His scholarly research is driven by questions relating to the re-invention of classical models of propaganda praxis and socio-cultural changes in European politics.

Reviews

'Surowiec explores a fascinating and under-researched area - the role played by nation branding in post-communist transition. His work will make a major intervention into debates surrounding transition and Europeanisation. The strength of this book lies in the combination of a sophisticated approach to global issues grounded in a Bourdieusian perspective with a deep knowledge of the national politics and sociology of Poland.' - Dr Stuart Shields, Senior Lecturer in International Political Economy, University of Manchester, UK

'This is an original and topical book about a country searching for a dignified place on the modern map of Europe. Readers learn not only about Poland, but also about blending nationalism with neo-liberalism and about adjusting the old-fashioned diplomacy to the digital age.' - Jan Zielonka, Professor of European Politics, St Antony's College, University of Oxford, UK

'I like this book for two reasons. It is stimulating to see Bourdieu's work applied to the investigation of promotional practices. As a Pole, I am delighted to see this careful analysis of institutional discourses of Polishness and the experiences that flow through them.' - Dr Magda Pieczka, Reader in Public Relations, Queen Margaret University, UK

Book Information
ISBN 9780367405915
Author Pawel Surowiec
Format Paperback
Page Count 216
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 421g