Digital Regionalism: The Visegrád and Western Balkans Funds as Civil Society Diplomacy
Abstract
As digital diplomacy reshapes international relations, regional organisations are increasingly employing digital platforms to foster cross-sectoral cooperation and proactively participate in globalised discursive arenas through public-, social- and participatory-driven networks. The International Visegrád Fund and Western Balkans Fund, while formally operating as intergovernmental initiatives, are conceptualised in this study as institutionalised expressions of regional demos, thus, serving as drivers of transnational civic cooperation and participation-based collective identity formation. Both represent sui generis endeavours, that function as diplomatic extensions of their respective blocs, advancing societal, political and economic cohesion through civil society-oriented mechanisms, while operating within EU’s frameworks. Hence, we observe the evolving nature of digital regionalism, within civil society diplomacy, by analysing the digital engagements of both organisations. Through a systematic content analysis of their official communications across major social media platforms, the study identifies structural patterns, narrative construction practices and thematic priorities that define their outward stances. Findings reveal how both actors contribute to the co-production of regional public discourses, reinforcement of collective identities and articulation of IR aspirations, through transnational mobilisation and public engagement. Also, by foregrounding the role of these civil structures within digital regionalism and civil society diplomacy, the study highlights how virtual interactions became a central modality for policy advocacy, strategic communication and cross-border dialogue. In doing so, it advances understanding of how international civil society formats can themselves act as diplomatic vectors, operationalising IR objectives in an increasingly interconnected and mediatised environment.
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