Overview

Branding Authoritarian Nations offers a novel approach to the study of nation branding as a strategy for political legitimation in authoritarian regimes using the example of military-ruled Thailand. The book argues that nation branding is a political act that is integral to state legitimation processes, particularly in the context of authoritarian regimes. It applies its alternative reading of nation branding to eight different sectors: tourism, economy, foreign direct investment, foreign policy, education, culture, public relations, and the private sector. The author explains that nation branding produces specific kinds of applied national myths, referred to as ‘strategic national myths.’ She shows that nation branding is an inherently inward-looking strategy aimed at shaping the social attitudes and behaviours of the nation’s citizens in line with the government’s domestic agenda and legitimation needs. Providing the first comprehensive analysis of nation branding in Thailand and the first book-length account of the country’s political developments since the 2014–2019 military rule, the book is primarily aimed at academics in the disciplines of politics, international relations, communication, and area studies as well as business, cultural, and intercultural studies.

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9781032517551

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Reviews

“[T]his Routledge-published book is profound, highly citable, empirically rich and well-argued. It will hopefully start a debate over the effectiveness of an authoritarian government’s expanded toolbox, especially compared to the current wave of progressive, democratic resistance among younger Thais. It also adds to the conversation about the waning ability of conservatives to monopolize Thai identity because of a diversifying notion of what is truly Thai. Hopefully, this book can spawn a resurgence of academic literature that explores how authoritarian governments attempt to construct and restrict social attitudes and behaviours.” Mark S. Cogan, Kansai Gaidai University, Japan in Contemporary Southeast Asia. Vol. 46, No. 1 (2024), pp. 173–75.

Author Information

Petra Alderman is a post-doctoral research fellow in Leadership for Inclusive and Democratic Politics at the International Development Department, School of Government, University of Birmingham, UK.

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