Music Competitions as Instruments of Cultural Diplomacy: The Case of Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest

The bachelor's thesis addresses the role of music competitions as instruments of cultural diplomacy and soft power in international relations, focusing on a case study of Ukraine's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest between 2003 and 2024. The aim of the thesis was to analyze how Ukraine has used Eurovision to represent its national identity, advance its geopolitical interests, and influence public discourse within the European space. To achieve this, a qualitative case study method was employed, supplemented by critical discourse analysis of Ukraine’s individual performances. The research is grounded in the theoretical concepts of soft power, cultural diplomacy, and media and cultural narrative theories. The analysis draws on scholarly literature, media sources, and official documents related to the Eurovision Song Contest. The findings reveal that Ukraine systematically uses Eurovision not only in winning years but also in regular participations as a platform for building a positive international image. Ukraine’s performances reflect the country's cultural identity, national experiences, and current geopolitical context. The research also identified a certain inconsistency in the European Broadcasting Union’s approach to the enforcement of the contest’s non-political rules. The main conclusion is that the Eurovision Song Contest functions as an important instrument of cultural diplomacy and media representation, through which states like Ukraine actively shape their international image. This thesis contributes new insights by covering the more recent editions of the contest (2020–2024), thereby expanding the existing academic literature.