NARRATIVES OF ITALY ABROAD: THE CASE OF THE ITALIAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE IN ATHENS

This thesis examines how Italy is narrated abroad through the activities of the Italian Cultural Institutes, institutions operating under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and responsible for the promotion of Italian language and culture on a global scale. The research stems from an internship period at the Italian Cultural Institute in Athens, and through a direct observation of the fieldwork, it aims to analyse how the image of Italy is constructed and communicated in this specific institutional context. Particular attention is paid on which cultural, symbolic and identity-related elements are selected to represent the country, and how communication strategies are employed to enhance the effectiveness of the Institute’s cultural mission as part of the Italian state’s soft power agenda. The thesis is structured in four chapters. The first chapter provides an overall understanding of how culture is employed as a strategic tool of soft power, through its conceptual definition and the analysis of the main international institutions that address and promote it. The second chapter focus in particular within the Italy’s framework about the cultural strategy, through a plurality of instruments. Italy aims to position itself on the global stage by means of cultural action. It explores how the Italian Cultural Institutes are considered concrete tools of soft power and cultural diplomacy, both in the Italian and international contexts, and how the national image is shaped through the cultural promotion they carry out. The third chapter focuses on the Cultural Institute of Athens. I analyse the cultural program and the events held during my internship, examining the symbolic narratives and key themes conveyed in the cultural content, while taking into account the history of the Greek branch, its general initiatives, specific proposals, and the consistency with MAECI’s cultural strategy. The analysis is enriched with direct observations and interviews with the actors involved. The fourth and final chapter presents an analysis of the communication and narrative strategies adopted by the Institute to promote the image of Italy. It examines how cultural identity is conveyed through language, visual elements, materials and communication channels, and assesses the extent to which these are coherent with the overall mission of Italian Cultural Institutes worldwide, and how they function as effective instruments of soft power.