Eurovision Song Contest: From Apolitical to Mega‐Political?

Abstract

ABSTRACT In the realm of a changing geopolitical landscape and the concomitant politicization of culture, this article focuses on how shifts in political orders within the broader context affect and politicize a cultural party. The study draws inspiration from the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) and how the 2024 edition of the contest underscored, more than ever, the extent to which the contest has become a political battleground—not as a result of its own actions, but due to what is termed here contextual politicization. I problematize and illustrate how purportedly apolitical strategies may acquire mega‐political significance following contextual changes that obscure an organization's foundational objectives. The conceptual analysis is supported by examples comparing ESC history and ambitions with the 2024 edition. It highlights how contextual shifts have undermined the feasibility of ESC's past strategy of avoidance to remain neutral—involuntarily politicizing the ESC in contrast to its foundational aspirations and historical developments at both the macro and micro levels. Moreover, the study demonstrates how the distributed body of ESC—including the EBU, voters, contestants, participating countries, and contest content—engages with politicization in heterogeneous ways. This dynamic results in internal tensions and creates paradoxes in relation to the ESC's objectives, underscoring how even initiatives aimed at peace and collaboration may become obscured within politicized contexts. The study contributes to existing research by theorizing contextual politicization, its conditions, and its effects, thereby offering a novel perspective to the scholarship on the politicization of popular culture. Related Articles Bache, I. 2025. “The Multiple Streams Framework and Non‐Politicized Issues: The Case of Assisted Dying/Assisted Suicide.” Politics & Policy 53, no. 1: e70016. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.70016 . Skowronska, K. 2021. “The Recent Politicization of Immigration in Poland in Light of Preexisting State Practices: Continuity or Change in the Understanding of Citizenship and Nationhood?” Politics & Policy 49, no. 4: 940–967. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12424 . Murray, S. 2017. “Sports Diplomacy in the Australian Context: Theory into Strategy.” Politics & Policy 45, no. 5: 841–861. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12218 .

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