Azerbaijan, Foreign Policy and Public Diplomacy

The very term 'Society of Free Nations' implies an outside–inside dimension, which is often interpreted in terms of degree of vicinity to the Western world. Post-Cold War history demonstrates that this positioning is dynamic rather than static. Outsiders can influence this positioning process by engaging in proactive actions such as public diplomacy. Implementing a strategy, however, does not guarantee success. In the past years, Azerbaijan has conducted a well-funded public diplomacy strategy. Grand events and a 'cosmopolitan state narrative' were its primary tools. For most international media and organisations, however, the popularity of Azerbaijan remains limited. This article argues that this unsatisfactory situation results from the inconsistency between external self-projection and actual conduct of state affairs. In addition to providing a comprehensive assessment of the Azerbaijani case, this article argues that it is necessary to study public diplomacy not only in terms of strategy, but also in terms of targeted audience and credibility.