The 70th edition of Eurovision will take place in Vienna, the Austrian capital, on May 16th. Despite some considering it as kitschy and flashy, Eurovision was established in 1956 by the European Broadcasting Union and is broadcasted live by around 30 countries worldwide, with an audience of approximately 160 million viewers. Over the years, Eurovision has become not only a form of entertainment but also a geopolitical tool and a reflection of contemporary tensions.
Why is Eurovision still seen as a soft power instrument for many participating states? How has a contest that aimed to be unifying turned into a stage for identity or linguistic rivalries, exclusions, or diplomatic maneuvers? What remains of the original purpose of the competition, promoting European peace? Is Eurovision now just a showcase of global pop culture or does it still serve as a space for sharing that can compete with global platforms? Why have researchers chosen to study it? These questions will be discussed by the invited guests:
– Florent Parmentier, PhD in geopolitics, specialist in European dynamics and lecturer at Sciences Po – Cyrille Bret, PhD in philosophy, researcher at the Jacques Delors Institute, and lecturer at Sciences Po
Both have authored “Geopolitics of Eurovision, the soundtracks of European construction” published by Bréal editions.
