Depoliticizing feminism? The transformation of an ideology-charged concept in a nation branding context

Sammanfattning: Although feminism is an ideologically-charged concept that allows for various interpretations, Sweden employs a feminist foreign policy with the aim of gender equality. Sweden also seizes the value of feminism in its nation branding efforts. This study problematizes Sweden’s use of feminism as nation branding concept. It aims for understanding how feminism is enacted in Sweden’s nation branding and what this implies for power relations of the actors. To address the purpose of this study, qualitative interviews and a document study were conducted, and a critical perspective was adopted. As theoretical framework, systematically distorted communication and discursive closure are used. The analysis has shown that feminism is stripped off its ideological meaning and distorted when enacted in Sweden’s nation branding. The concept is depoliticized and commodified to contribute to the target audience of nation branding having a positive image of Sweden. Further, the analysis has shown that the logic of nation branding, where feminism is depoliticized, clashes with the logic of traditional diplomacy, where feminism is politicized. It can be concluded that nation branding increasingly gains momentum over traditional diplomacy.