What is Soft Power and How do Countries Compare in It ?

What is Soft Power and How do Countries Compare in It?By Judit TrunkosPhD Student at the University of South [email protected]

Judit Trunkos. Soft Power.University of South Carolina

Outline1. Development of Power 2. Definition of Soft Power3. Measuring Soft Power 4. International Comparison


Ideologies in International RelationsRealism• Power is the core

concept• States are the actors• National security is the

most important international agenda

• States behave rationally

Liberalism• Other issues such as

economics or diplomacy can be the focus of the agenda

• Non-state actors can also be the actors

• State is subject to outside influence

• Interdependence, reciprocity (Nye and Keohane 1977)


Power

First Face of Power: (Dahl,1961)-coercion, threats or rewards

Second Face of Power: (Bachrach and Baratz, 1964)-agenda setting


Power

Third Face of Power: (Lukes, 1970)-shaping the initial beliefs and preferences

Second +Third faces of Power: (Nye,2011)-Soft Power


Definitions of Soft PowerNye 2004“The ability to get what you want through attraction

rather than coercion or payment. Includes culture, values and foreign policies.”


Definitions of Soft PowerNye 2011“The ability to affect others through the co-optive

means of framing the agenda, persuading, and eliciting positive attraction in order to obtain preferred outcomes. Includes intangible factors such as institutions, ideas, values, culture, perceived legitimacy of policies.”


Hard PowerCoerce with political,

economic or military power.

(Realism: force, military capability)

Soft PowerAbility to get what you

want though attraction and not coercion (Nye, 2004).

(Liberalism: education, art, sports, values).

Judit Trunkos. Global Soft Power. University of South Carolina

Tools of Soft Power: Public Diplomacy v. Cultural DiplomacyPublic Diplomacy • Government sponsored

programs intended to inform or influence public opinion in other countries: its chief instruments are publications, motion pictures, cultural exchanges radio and TV. (One way communication)

• Sponsored by the government • Embassies and diplomats

play a major role

Cultural Diplomacy• Cultural diplomacy establishes a two-

way communication with other countries.

• Primary focus is not merely political but also cultural (athletic, education, art)

• The actor can take on his/her own agenda independently of the government.

• More high culture and education focused (less popular culture, publications, radio or TV)

• Can be sponsored by the government but also by private institutions or NGO.

• Embassies play a major role but not the only role


Skeptics of Soft PowerFerguson (2004) “There is nothing new about Soft

Power. Soft Power is merely the velvet glove concealing an iron hand.”

Gelb (2009) “Soft Power now seems to include everything.”


Skeptics of Soft Power

Gray (2011) “Hard Power must remain the essential instrument of policy, Soft Power is unsuitable for policy directions and control as it relies too much on the foreign countries’ perception.”

Judit Trunkos. Soft Power. University of South Carolina

Soft Power as a Foreign Policy Tool

Nye (2011): Culture, values and foreign policy are the main sources of Soft Power.


State Application of Soft PowerUnites States:(2010 Global

Cultural Diplomacy Ranking: 8, 2012 Soft Power Ranking 2 )

USIA-United States Information Agency

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State

• Academic ProgramsFulbright Program• Professional and Cultural

ExchangesInternational Visitor Leadership Program

The Netherlands: (2010 Global Cultural Diplomacy Ranking: 1, 2012 Soft Power Ranking 15)

SICA Dutch Centre for International Cultural Activities

• Visitor Program (diplomats and professionals)

• Regional Projects (Russia, Turkey, Brazil, China)

Judit Trunkos. Global Soft Power.University of South Carolina

Previous Measurement MethodsNye (2004)-Surveys+ Public Diplomacy Spending.

Holyk (2011)-Surveys and Bivariate Correlation.

McClory (2012):Composite metrics across various indicators-statistical metrics and subjective data (50 metrics in total).


McClory’s Soft Power Index 2012 Business/Innovation Education Government Culture Diplomacy


McClory’s Soft Power Index 2012Rank Governme

ntCulture Diplomac

yEducation

Business/ Innovation

1 Norway USA France USA Finland2 Switzerland UK UK UK Switzerlan

d3 Sweden France Germany Australia Singapore4 Denmark Australia USA Germany Sweden5 Netherland

sGermany Sweden China Denmark

6 Finland China Netherlands

Japan Netherlands

7 New Zealand

Italy Norway France Japan

8 Canada Canada Italy Canada Germany 9 Australia Spain Belgium Korea Norway

10 Austria Korea Canada Netherlands

UK


Non-State Actors of Soft Power• Private Individuals (actors, directors, artists,

athletes, immigrants, writers)• Civil Societies • Private Institutions (art, dance, music, sports)• NGO’s (UNESCO)


Thank you


Appendix A:Public Diplomacy v. Soft Power

Public diplomacy: refers to the every day diplomacy aimed to create a favorable image abroad through daily communication and planning of strategic events.-short term goals.

Soft power: relies on programs that are designed to advance American values and human rights as well as restoring alliances, promoting the rights of women and girls. -long term goals


Appendix B: Concept of Soft Power


National Resourc

esGovernme

nt/Strategy Influence

1st-face Coerce, Payment

2nd face-Agenda Setting3rd face-

Preference and Belief

Setting

Direct

Indirect

(Trunkos) Soft power=indirect use of government resources

Indirect

Soft Power Indirect

Appendix C: MechanismInfluencing mechanism


Government using

Soft Power Foreign Public

Foreign Governme

nt's Foreign Policy

money Media, Internet, Public Opinion

Appendix D: McClory 2012 MethodObjective (70%) (statistical

data):Business/Innovation, Government, Education, Culture, Diplomacy

Subjective (30%): Design/Architecture, Cultural Output, Global Leadership, Soft Power Icons, Cuisine, National Airline/Major Airport, Commercial Brands

Includes 40 countries & 3-year data


Appendix D: McClory Index (2012)Culture: Tourism, Reach of State Sponsored Media Outlet, Foreign

Correspondents, Language, Influential Languages, Sporting Success

Diplomacy: Foreign Aid Overseas, Languages Spoken by Leader, Visa

Freedom, (Strength of National Brand 2010), Number of Cultural Missions

Red: policiesBlack: cultureblue: values


Appendix D: McClory’s Index (2012)Business/Innovation: International Patents; Business competitiveness, corruption,

Level of Corruption: Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, Innovation

Education: Think Tank Presence, Quality of Universities, Foreign StudentsGovernment: UN HDI Score Index, Good Governance Index, Freedom Score

Index of political freedom and personal liberty, Trust in Government, Life Satisfaction


Documents

What is Soft Power and How do Countries Compare in It ?