Puppy Power: Mapping Modes of National Canine Cuteness and Patriotism

ABSTRACT: A surge in dog popularity in the 21st century parallels a similar trajectory that has seen cuteness emerge as a dominant aesthetic in recent decades. Uniting both is a growing tendency for patriotism to be expressed in a register which yokes together the nation, cuteness and the canine, a trend evident across a swathe of cultural artifacts. While scholarship in the interdisciplinary field of cuteness studies is now well established, we suggest that in light of its maturity and coalescence, this literature now benefits from national particularization. This article offers four national case studies to interrogate patriotic canine cuteness, examining: The US, the UK, Ireland, and Germany. Through these case studies we establish that patriotic canine cuteness comprises a significant means of engaging national publics. As a mutable, nimble form of soft power, cuteness manifests myriad functions and among these are a range of notable nationally specific political/ideological applications.