Cold War Cultural Diplomacy: Soviet Soft Power and Global Cultural Exchange (1945–1985)

Abstract

The Cold War was not only a geopolitical contest but also a battle for cultural and ideological influence. Between 1945 and 1985, the Soviet Union deployed a sophisticated network of cultural diplomacy to project soft power across the world. This paper examines how Soviet institutions, artists, educational programs, and international cultural exchanges functioned as tools of persuasion and ideological competition. By comparing Soviet cultural diplomacy to Western, particularly American, strategies, the study highlights the unique ways in which the USSR sought to shape perceptions of socialism, modernity, and progress. Drawing on transnational and comparative perspectives, it argues that Soviet cultural diplomacy played a crucial role in redefining global intellectual and artistic relations during the Cold War.