Tulips, cheese and bikes? : Constructing the Netherlands through nation branding on the website Holland.com

Sammanfattning: In the globalized world of today, more and more countries are constructing themselves as authentic and unique in order to attract potential tourists. Nation branding is being used as a tool to commodify the country. This thesis is a critical discourse analysis that takes interest in examining how the Netherlands is discursively constructed as a nation brand on the website Holland.com. The thesis draws on theories of national identity, nation branding, commodification and authenticity, all from a critical point of view. Using critical discourse analysis as a method, this thesis is able to reveal the underlying ideologies and interests that are being promoted through the website. This is done by using specific tools, to discover what information is being made salient on the website and what information is being suppressed. The analysis of the website reveals three main findings: the Netherlands is constructed as authentic, with the purpose of commodifying the country to become as attractive as possible for potential visitors. Another finding shows how nation branding is used to reshape and reconstruct national history, as well as geography. Lastly, the analysis uncovers forms of nationalism found in the texts on the website.