Culture & Trade: Revisiting Smart Power in the Digital Age

Abstract

This article explores how cultural trade can serve as a form of ‘smart power’. We examine how globalisation has developed to amplify the influence of digitalisation in the exchange of both tangible and intangible goods, thereby boosting cultural trade. We review how a nation’s cultural identity has been constructed and understood through a conceptual synthesis. This article investigates how a nation utilises the medium through which its culture is shared and considers the extent of its influence. We argue that although a nation’s cultural identity may be exchanged as tangible and intangible cultural products across borders, the underlying values and implicit assumptions of these artefacts are not always communicated as intended. Consequently, we seek to explore the role of advancements in telecommunications and digital technologies in shaping cultural identities and state power. From our analysis, while digital technologies enable quicker access and broader audience reach, digitalisation may not yet fully capture the nuanced understanding required for accurate cultural exchange. In this context, if a nation can effectively leverage digital technology to disseminate the cultural norms and values associated with its cultural products, then, and only then, can it utilise ‘smart power’ to influence public opinion and manoeuvre international relations to its advantage.