Cultural diplomacy in post-apartheid South Africa's international relations: cosmetic or genuine change?

Abstract

In this article, we examine the extent to which South Africa responds to recent major paradigm shifts in international relations. We record that the country���s readmission to the international cultural relations arena after the collapse of apartheid in 1994 has brought about new challenges for it to tackle. Two of these are: how to project a new image of a united society with diverse cultures in harmonious co-existence different from that of the past; and how to shift from a previous government-centric diplomacy to a new public-participatory alternative. We support the prompt drafting of a cultural diplomacy policy initiated by law makers in order to mediate the afore-mentioned opposites. The study followed qualitative methodological approaches to arrive at the arguments and conclusions made.