This interdisciplinary event aims to consider how Eurovision, which was designed to be politically neutral, internationally friendly, and fun, also frequently provokes geopolitical issues with its performers, songs, and entrants – including, but not exclusively, over the last couple of years. Many of these geopolitical issues have involved East-Central European countries, such as Hungary, Poland, Ukraine, and Russia.
We aim for this event to inform our audience about the geopolitics of Eurovision, especially in relation to the banning of Russia – and the decision not to ban Israel – as participants in Eurovision; as well as broader issues of national identity, voting blocs, and the nature of, and feeling of being part of, Europe. We hope the event will encourage greater awareness of the geopolitics of Eurovision, and how it demonstrates – as well as shapes – identities.
The geopolitical issues around Eurovision which we aim to examine include:
• European culture, national identities, and nation-building
• Geopolitics as refusal to engage with cross-country cultural events
• Eurovision and neutrality
• LGBTQ+ and politics
• Past, present, and future wars, and Eurovision
• Cross-cultural interactions and Eurovision
• Soft power and Eurovision
• The expansion and retraction of Eurovision’s entrants
• Eurovision and its history, aspiration, and futures
Roundtable participants:
• Dr Paul Jordan, aka ‘Dr Eurovision’ (independent scholar)
• Dr Galina Miazhevich (Cardiff University)
Organisers and chairs:
• Juliette Bretan (PhD Candidate at the Faculty of English and Research Assistant at the Centre for Geopolitics)
• Elvira Tamus (PhD Candidate at the Faculty of History and Research Assistant at the Centre for Geopolitics)
The event is supported by the Cambridge Centre for Geopolitics and the Cambridge Committee for Central and East European and Eurasian Studies (CAMCCEEES), and will take place in GR06/07 in the Faculty of English.
