Reputation-Building Process as Part of Catalonia's Paradiplomatic Activities

The master's thesis explores the current topic of the reputation-building process on the example of Catalonia, and thus approaches the issue from a rather unconventional perspective of the substate entities. The theoretical framework combines knowledge from the field of public diplomacy and nation branding together with the concept of paradiplomacy. The thesis aims to shed light on how Catalonia – as an internationally active region with a high degree of autonomy and separatist tendencies – engages with international audiences as part of its paradiplomatic activities, and to identify the dynamics of this interaction. The findings of the empirical research show that Catalan initiatives have been driven by economic and cultural interests from the very beginning; political motives have only emerged in recent years. The Catalan strategy can then be characterised as consistent with positive progress over time and a focus on the promotion of Catalan distinctive culture. In practice, Catalan actors apply an all but complete spectrum of tools defined in theory – the thesis concludes by presenting a comprehensive panorama of Catalan priority instruments, categorised according to the interests pursued (or the so-called “field of action”). For each tool, criteria such as the target group, the type of contact with the audience, the objective of the activity and the use of (modern) communication technologies are likewise examined.