Introduction: Music and Cultural Diplomacy in the Middle East—Geopolitical Reconfigurations for the Twenty-First Century

This chapter examines the relationship between music, power, international relation, and diplomacy. Through a thorough revision of central literature on the topic, it aims to provide a renewed and expansive understanding of cultural diplomacy in the 21st century. It argues for a reconceptualization of cultural diplomacy as semantic constellation that de-centers top-down state centered approaches while examine the fine grain details of bottom-up initiatives of musicians, cultural communities and non-state actors aided by technological developments. Lastly, this chapter presents 21st century cultural diplomacy as being quintessentially polyvocal since it emerges through the sonic engagement of a plurality of voices that can, without controlling, participate in the diversification of the channels for cultural diplomacy.