The role of social media in cultural relations: an analysis of whether the British Council's social media strategy coheres with the organisation’s core purpose

In 2010, in response to the announcement that the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) would be reducing the annual grant given to the British Council, the organisation announced it would increase its virtual presence. This thesis examines the organisation’s new social media strategy and evaluates whether it is aligned with the British Council’s core purposes.

Using case study analysis, three British Council country office social media channels are reviewed. The analysis is informed by a table of components that are used to evaluate the British Council’s social media. These components and subsequent presentation of results were constructed through research carried out on the British Council, social media and the theoretical perspective of Alexander Vuving’s soft power currencies.

Through studying the organisation’s approach to building trust and making relationships worldwide, and also placing the organisation into the context of a contributor to UK “soft power”, this research explores the role this modern means of communication has for a cultural relations organisation.