Christos Frangonikolopoulos
Christos Frangonikolopoulos is Professor at the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
The EU’s central role in in global politics requires the re-thinking of public diplomacy (PD). The emphasis on cultural values/principles, educational and economic networks, and historical links, does not create the desired results. What is required is the formulation and implementation of a strategy that utilizes PD as an instrument in dealing with the complex and multifaceted problems of today in a multi-actor global system. This is important when considering not only that the EU has done very little to encourage public debate on global issues. The EU’s PD, therefore, should aim at complementing its government to government public diplomacy relations with a strategy that facilitates communication and discussion processes between governments, the media and civil society, by encouraging public debate on European and global governance issues.
He studied Politics and Government (BA Honours) and International Relations (PhD) at the University of Kent at Canterbury (England). He has worked as a diplomatic newspaper correspondent (1995-2003) and advisor to the Greek Parliament (1997-2003). In 2004-05 he also worked for public television. He combines a significant research output with practical experience. His research interests and teaching have an interdisciplinary character, combining international relations, European Integration with European Journalism. He has published, co-published, edited and co-edited ten (10) books in Greece and abroad, and academic articles in over 40 edited books and peer-reviewed journals.
Publications
Christos Frangonikolopoulos work and research on the European Union and Public Diplomacy include the following publications:
(1) “Public Diplomacy: How to think about and improve Greece’s neglected component of foreign policy in times of economic crisis”, Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 2012,
(2) “Communicating Greece in times of economic crisis: The role and significance of Public Diplomacy”, Etudes Helleniques/Hellenic Studies, 2012
(3) “Refocusing Public Diplomacy: The need for strategic-discursive Public Diplomacy”, Diplomacy and Statecraft, 2012,
(4) “Reinforcing global legitimacy and efficiency: the case for strategic discursive public diplomacy”, Global Discourse: An interdisciplinary journal of current affairs and contemporary thought, 2014
(5) “Greek correspondents and EU: Organic critiques and proposed remedies to address EU’s communication deficit”, Journalism Practice, 2020,
(6) “Greek journalists’ challenges of dealing with EU affairs and their adaptive practices”, New Perspectives, 2020,
(7) “Post-truth, propaganda and the transformation of the spiral of silence”, International Journal of Media & Cultural Politics, 14,
(8) “Regimes of truth in the communication and reporting of the European Union”, Journal of Media Critiques, 2017,
(9) The European Financial and Refugee/Immigrant Crises in the Press: Similarities and Differences of the Greek and German Public Spheres, Global Media Journal: German Edition, 2019
About Jean Monnet Chair on European Union Public Diplomacy
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, with the award to Professor Christos Frangonikolopoulos of the Chair on European Union Public Diplomacy, has launched a teaching and research programme that explores and identifies how to use Public diplomacy for increasing connections and shaping perceptions in and outside EU.
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Contact
Christos A. Frangonikolopoulos
Professor of International Relations
School of Journalism and Mass Communications
email: chfragk@jour.auth.gr