TAKE ACTION NOW THE LEGITIMACY OF CELEBRITY POWER IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Celebrities are able to mobilize a wide range of people on a global scale. In his Oscar acceptance speech, Leonardo DiCaprio urged his international audience to work collectively to combat climate change. Another example of celebrity activism is Daryl Hannah's support for biofuels and the campaign against the Keystone XL pipeline. The article analyzes the legitimacy of such celebrity power in international relations, along three criteria (political impact; broad participation; control and accountability). It argues that as long as celebrities' claims are vague and do not go further than un consensus, celebrity power can be considered legitimate through the political impact.