Culturalist and neo-propagandist politics at Eurovision: A triptych analysis of cultural diplomacy approaches of the European Broadcasting Union vis-à-vis Belarus, Russia and Israel

The Eurovision Song Contest is a self-proclaimed non-political musical competition that is nonetheless the site of politics and diplomacy. This article presents a three-part case study – or a triptych picture – of the controversies surrounding the participation and song entries of Belarus, Russia and Israel in recent contests of the early 2020s. It discusses the political nature of Eurovision, despite protestations to the contrary, and unpacks the cultural diplomacy of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and these three states towards Eurovision during periods of geopolitical tensions and wars. Specifically, it applies the concepts (and practices) of culturalist and neo-propagandist diplomacy to the approaches adopted by the EBU and Belarus, Russia and Israel towards Eurovision.