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Exercises in Soft Power and Cultural Diplomacy: The Cultural Programming of the Los Angeles and London Olympic Games

Lewis, Tiffany Emma
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1430946430

Abstract Details

2015, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Arts Administration, Education and Policy.
This dissertation argues that the opening ceremonies and arts festivals of the Los Angeles 1984 and London 2012 Olympics are exercises in soft power or cultural diplomacy and identifies cultural outcomes that relate to public value. According to Joseph Nye (2008), “Soft power is the ability to affect others to obtain the outcomes one wants through attraction rather than coercion or payment. A country’s soft power rests on it resources of culture, values, and policies” (Joseph Nye, 2008, p. 94). Milton Cummings (2003), on the other hand, surveys major cultural policy initiatives and cultural relations trends in the United States and describes cultural diplomacy as “the exchange of ideas, information, art and other aspects of culture among nations and their peoples in order to foster mutual understanding” (Cummings, 2003, p. 1). For the purposes of this inquiry, cultural programming of the Olympics is defined as the Opening Ceremony and the Olympic Arts Festival. The form and scale of these cultural experiences vary with each Games, but they allow arts organizations to partner, present, and collaborate on an international level. Unfortunately, long-term examination of the outcomes of the cultural programming of the Olympics has been limited. It is important to determine if the host cities have achieved their stated goals set by entities like the Local Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games or the International Olympic Committee in order to validate the cultural aspects of the Olympics and the funds used to support them. The impact of the Olympics is usually defined in terms of economic improvement and infrastructure development, but the effects of cultural programming are frequently ignored. It is for these reasons that I will focus in the current study on the cultural programming of the Los Angeles 1984 and London 2012 Olympics. I frame and identify cultural outcomes of these experiences, which includes the sharing of values, changes in international perception, collaboration between arts institutions, and increased cultural tourism in the host city.
Margaret Wyszomirski, Dr. (Advisor)
Art Education; Arts Management; Public Policy
Soft power; cultural diplomacy; Olympics, Arts Festivals, Opening Ceremony

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Lewis, T. E. (2015). Exercises in Soft Power and Cultural Diplomacy: The Cultural Programming of the Los Angeles and London Olympic Games [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1430946430

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Lewis, Tiffany. Exercises in Soft Power and Cultural Diplomacy: The Cultural Programming of the Los Angeles and London Olympic Games . 2015. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1430946430.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Lewis, Tiffany. "Exercises in Soft Power and Cultural Diplomacy: The Cultural Programming of the Los Angeles and London Olympic Games ." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1430946430

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1430946430
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.