Beyond cultural exchange: Constraints, sustainability and emerging opportunities in Kenya–United States cultural diplomacy

Abstract

Cultural diplomacy has become increasingly important in contemporary international relations as states and non-state actors use educational, cultural, institutional, and people-to-people engagement to complement conventional diplomacy. However, the sustainability of such engagement depends on the financial, mobility, representational, institutional, political, and technological conditions within which cultural programmes operate. This study examined the constraints affecting cultural diplomacy between Kenya and the United States and assessed emerging opportunities for strengthening its sustainability, inclusiveness, and resilience. The study was guided by Soft Power Theory and Liberalism Theory and employed descriptive and evaluative research designs within a mixed-methods approach. The target population comprised stakeholders involved in or knowledgeable about Kenya–United States cultural diplomacy, including diplomatic and foreign-affairs actors, cultural practitioners, exchange-programme participants, media professionals, university and programme representatives, and diaspora and community actors. From an accessible population of approximately 3,000, a target quantitative sample of 360 respondents was established, of whom 359 completed the questionnaire. Stratified random sampling was used to select questionnaire respondents across stakeholder categories and country contexts, while purposive and snowball sampling was used to identify information-rich qualitative participants. Data were collected through structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, open-ended responses, and documentary analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations where appropriate, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically and integrated with quantitative findings through methodological triangulation. The findings identified five interconnected constraints: inadequate and unstable financial resources, visa and mobility barriers, cultural stereotypes and representational limitations, political and institutional discontinuity, and unequal technological connectivity. Conversely, educational and university partnerships, creative-industry collaboration, digital diplomacy, diaspora and alumni networks, and community-based engagement emerged as important opportunities for widening participation and sustaining bilateral cultural relations. The study concludes that sustainable Kenya–United States cultural diplomacy requires a transition from episodic cultural encounters to institutionalized, reciprocal, and networked relationships capable of enduring funding cycles, political transitions, and geographical barriers. It recommends diversified financing, improved mobility facilitation, strengthened university and multi-actor partnerships, structured diaspora and alumni engagement, hybrid physical-digital programming, broader socioeconomic and geographical inclusion, and evaluation mechanisms that prioritize the quality and longevity of relationships.