Infrastructure Communication in International Relations

Rising powers use infrastructure projects and communication to envision progress, enhance international identity, and leverage their vision of international order. This book examines how these powers communicate about infrastructure internationally, highlighting the arbitrary and contested link between infrastructure, identity, and order-making. It argues that communication organization and visuality of strategic narratives influence the international communication of infrastructure vision and action plans, with varying levels of success.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 154 pages
Publication date: 30 May 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Rising powers are strategically planning infrastructure projects and communicating about them internationally to achieve various goals. These projects aim to envision progress, enhance the actors' international identity, and solidify and leverage their vision of international order. While the physical aspects of infrastructure are crucial, infrastructure communication in international relations deserves more scholarly attention.

In her book, Carolijn van Noort explores how rising powers communicate about infrastructure internationally using a case-study approach. The four case studies examined include BRICS' summit communications about infrastructure, Brazil's infrastructure promises to Africa, China's communication of the Belt and Road Initiative in East Africa, and Kazakhstan's news media coverage of China's Belt and Road Initiative.

Van Noort highlights the arbitrary and contested nature of the link between infrastructure, identity, and order-making in practice. Rising powers operationalize infrastructure communication in international relations in diverse ways, with varying levels of success. She argues that both communication organization and the visuality of strategic narratives on infrastructure influence the international communication of infrastructure vision and action plans.

Infrastructure Communication in International Relations is a valuable and timely contribution to the fields of international relations, global communications, and the politics of infrastructure. It provides insights into the strategies employed by rising powers to shape infrastructure communication and the implications of these practices for international relations. The book will be of interest to students and scholars seeking to understand the complex dynamics of infrastructure development and its impact on global politics.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367565008