Keywords
Country image
International communication
Discourse
Translation
Submitted : 2026-01-14
Accepted : 2026-01-29
Published : 2026-02-13
Abstract
National image has developed into a prominent interdisciplinary research field that examines how nations are perceived, evaluated, and represented in international contexts. Since its emergence in the mid-twentieth century, the concept has expanded from a cognitive variable in international relations to a complex construct shaped by media discourse, market mechanisms, cultural narratives, and translation practices. Drawing on representative scholarship from international relations, communication studies, marketing, imagology, and translation studies, this paper offers a comprehensive review of research on national image. It traces the conceptual origins and theoretical evolution of the field, examines its major research domains and methodological approaches, and identifies key characteristics and trends. The review argues that national image should be understood as a dynamic, multidimensional, and discursively constructed phenomenon resulting from the interaction between self-representation and external perception. By synthesizing existing research, this paper clarifies the intellectual landscape of national image studies and highlights directions for future inquiry, particularly with regard to language, media, and translation.
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