Europe, Let's Come Together!; The Eurovision Song Contest and the European Colonial Legacy

This thesis analyses the impact of the European colonial legacy within the Eurovision Song Contest, and how this provides a wider picture for how the legacy impacts upon European culture and ideology. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union, the Eurovision Song Contest provides a platform of pop-culture and cultural exchange, and since its creation in the 1950s has expanded its broadcasting reach and the number of participating countries. As the amount of participating countries has expanded, Eurovision has maintained its status as non-political and celebrating diversity, music and culture. Using evidence from interviews with participants, statements from European institutions and governments and analysis of performances, this thesis addresses how Europe's colonial legacy has become present within cultural mega events. Focusing on the Irish language, the experiences of Indigenous Australians and participants from former colonies as examples, it investigates how the relationship between colonialism and culture has emerged within the song contest. Analysis on ideology features Turkey and The Balkans, and how the colonial legacy impacts on the relationship between these countries and the European institutions. Within this chapter it will investigate the Turkish and Balkan concerns regarding othering and exclusion, and how the colonial legacy impacts upon these relations. Examining both of these avenues, and using these examples, evidence is provided that former colonial powers still benefit from colonialism in how they are able to legislate ideology and control culture and cultural expressions.