Public diplomacy: How to think about and improve Greece's ‘neglected’ component of foreign policy in times of economic crisis

Abstract

Greece's central role in the debt crisis of the euro zone and the ‘credibility deficit’ this has created requires the re-thinking of the country's outdated public diplomacy (PD). The emphasis on tourism, as well as cultural and historical links, does not create the desired results. What is required is the formulation and implementation of a strategy that utilizes PD as a foreign policy instrument in dealing with the complex and multifaceted issue of the debt crisis in a multi-actor system such as the European Union (EU). This is important when considering not only that the national government has done very little to encourage public debate on stringent fiscal measures and the viability and prospects of the euro zone, but also that the EU has thrown all the responsibility on Greece without offering a more balanced interpretation of the crisis. Greece's PD, therefore, should aim at complementing its government to government relations with a strategy that facilitates communication and discussion processes between governments and foreign publics, by encouraging public debate on European economic governance, and by initiating campaign to communicate the country's standpoint and position to the rest of the world.