Publication

Understanding Cultural Diplomacy and International Cultural Relations

Author

Nicholas J. Cull, Stuart MacDonald, Sarah E.K. Smith, Simge Erdogan-O'Connor, Sascha Priewe, Jeffrey Brison, R.S. Zaharna, and César Villanueva Rivas

Tags

Cultural Diplomacy, Publication

NACDI members Nicholas J. Cull and Stuart MacDonald, together with Jonathan Vickery, have edited Understanding Cultural Diplomacy and International Cultural Relations (2025). The volume offers a comprehensive overview of cultural diplomacy—bridging history, theory, and practice—with real-world case studies from diverse sectors and institutions. Leading scholars and practitioners examine culture’s role in international affairs and how it can serve as a channel for addressing foreign-policy challenges. The anthology features contributions by NACDI core members and affiliates, including César Villanueva, Sarah E.K. Smith, Jeffrey Brison, Lynda Jessup, R. S. Zaharna, and Simge Erdogan-O’Connor.

The book is available from Edward Elgar Publishing.

Publisher's website

Author

Nicholas J. Cull (he/him)

Professor of Public Diplomacy and founding director of the Master of Public Diplomacy, University of Southern California (USC),

Nicholas J. Cull is Professor of Public Diplomacy and is the founding director of the Master of Public Diplomacy program at USC.

Learn more

United States

Author

Stuart MacDonald ()

Research consultant,

Learn more

Author

Sarah E.K. Smith (she/her)

Co-founder and Team member of NACDI; Canada Research Chair in Art, Culture and Global Relations; Associate Professor, Western University,

Co-founder and active NACDI team member, Sarah E.K. Smith is the Canada Research Chair in Art, Culture and Global Relations at Western University.

Learn more

Canada

Author

Simge Erdogan-O'Connor (she/her)

Director, Canadian Museum of Health Care; Course Director, Certificate in Museum Studies, Ontario Museum Association,

Simge is a member of the North American Cultural Diplomacy Initiative (NACDI). She is also the Director of the Canadian Museum of Health Care and Course Director at the Ontario Museum Association.

Learn more

Author

Sascha Priewe (he/him)

Co-founder and Team member of NACDI; Director of Collections & Public Programs at the Aga Khan Museum; Associate Professor in the Department of the History of Art, University of Toronto, and Adjunct Associate Professor in Cultural Studies, Queen’s University,

A Co-Founder of the North American Cultural Diplomacy Initiative, Sascha Priewe is the Director of Collections & Public Programs at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto.

Learn more

Canada

Author

Jeffrey Brison (he/him)

Co-founder and team member of NACDI; Director of Cultural Studies and Professor of History, Queen's University,

Jeffrey Brison is Director of the Cultural Studies Program and Professor in History at Queen's University and a founding member of the North American Cultural Diplomacy Initiative (NACDI).

Learn more

Canada

Author

R.S. Zaharna ()

Professor at the School of Communication, American University, and 2018 Distinguished Scholar in International Communication,

Learn more

Author

César Villanueva Rivas (he/him)

Professor of International Relations and Public/Cultural Diplomacy, Universidad Iberoamericana,

César Villanueva is Professor of International Relations and Public/Cultural Diplomacy at Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City. He obtained his PhD in Political Science from Linnaeus University in Sweden, with a specialization in diplomatic studies (2007).

Learn more

Mexico