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Regular version of the site

Soft Power in International Relations

2022/2023
Academic Year
ENG
Instruction in English
3
ECTS credits
Course type:
Elective course
When:
4 year, 3 module

Instructor


Ageeva, Vera

Course Syllabus

Abstract

Course will tackle the issue of non-coercive foreign policy means in international relations. Power in world politics has always been a central concept. Over the time scholars identified multiple layers and dimensions of this concept which allowed IR theory understand better the nature of hegemony in world politics. Non-coercive, soft aspects of power have been always present in international relations, but special theory about it emerged only at the end of the XXth century and revolutionised debates about influence and attraction in world politics. This theory was elaborated by American scholar and politician Joseph Nye (Jr). He proved that not only hard means (military or coercive economic) matter, moreover there are means which could be less expensive for international actor but more effective especially in the long-term perspective. These means include: infuence by attrractivenness of country's values, culture, international stance. Today soft power is a well-established concept in IR. There is a myriad of studies of American, French, German, British, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Russian etc soft power strategies. All of them have their pecularities and deserve to be studied and discussed. Soft power theory itself has been largely debated by experts and politicians worldwide. Recently there were new concepts which emerged in order to complement and develop intinial Nye's theory (normative power, sharp power etc). Discussions about soft power role in modern multipolar world will reveal new means of influence and hegemony in international relations today. Course will cover theoretical aspects of soft power theory and will allow students to understand better how influence and attractiveness work in IR. Special attention will be paid to the practical exemples - soft power strategies of different countries.
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

  • As the major learning outcome, we expect students to learn how to conduct high-qualified research on political and social aspects of development on foreign countries and prepare themselves to work with complex international issues.
Expected Learning Outcomes

Expected Learning Outcomes

  • Able to solve professional problems based on synthesis and analysis
  • Being capable of retrieving, collecting, processing and analyzing information relevant for achieving goals in the professional field.
  • Work with information: find, define and use the information from different sources required for solving of research and professional problems.
Course Contents

Course Contents

  • Theory of soft power (main ideas and main critique)
  • Soft power models of different countries
  • Values and soft power
Assessment Elements

Assessment Elements

  • non-blocking Oral participation in seminars
  • non-blocking Individual tasks during seminars
  • non-blocking Presentation
Interim Assessment

Interim Assessment

  • 2022/2023 3rd module
    0.34 * Oral participation in seminars + 0.35 * Presentation + 0.31 * Individual tasks during seminars
Bibliography

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

  • Nye, J. S. . (DE-588)128376856, (DE-627)372622542, (DE-576)162411480, aut. (2008). The powers to lead Joseph S. Nye.

Recommended Additional Bibliography

  • Nye, J. S. . (DE-588)128376856, (DE-576)162411480. (2004). Soft power : the means to success in world politics / Joseph S. Nye. New York, NY: Public Affairs. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.111331528
  • Nye, J. S. . (DE-588)128376856, (DE-576)162411480. (2011). The future of power / Joseph S. Nye. PublicAffairs.
  • The soft power 30 [Elektronische Ressource] : a global ranking of soft power / contributors Jonathan McClory . (2016). London: Portland. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.48773422X

Authors

  • AGEEVA VERA DMITRIEVNA