Soft Power and American Communications with the World

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Soft Power and AmericanCommunications with the
World

• Dr. Nancy Snow
• William K. Fung Interdisciplinary Workshop
  Communicating with Skeptical Audiences
• Yaffe Center for Persuasive Communication
• University of Michigan
• October 16, 2003
• www.nancysnow.com

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Soft Power

• n. Power based on intangible or indirect
  influences such as culture, values, and ideology.
  (www.wordspy.com)
• Has become an oft-referenced, ill-defined term of
  the 1990s and beyond

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Soft Power Origin

• Term soft power first coined by Dean Joseph Nye
  of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government in
  1990
• the richest country in the world could afford
  both better education at home and the
  international influence that comes from an
  effective aid and information program abroad.
  What is needed is increased investment in "soft
  power," the complex machinery of interdependence,
  rather than in "hard power" that is, expensive
  new weapons systems.Joseph S. Nye, Jr., "The
  misleading metaphor of decline," The Atlantic,
  March 1990

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Soft Power Culture Power

• Soft Power lies in cultural values and how the
  U.S. handles, behaves, acts toward, engages and
  influences the world
• Emphasis is on co-option over coercion
• Los Angeles megapolis and Hollywood are the
  central nervous system for soft power
• US is soft power superman blessing and our curse
• World has love/hate relationship with US soft
  power advantage (We Hate You but Send Us Your
  Baywatch)

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What Others Can Teach US

• Nye nominates Canada, the Netherlands and the
  Scandinavian countries as states whose political
  influence is greater than their hard power would
  permit. The explanation lies in their astute
  manipulation of soft power.Paul Kelly, "Soft
  option for hard heads," The Weekend Australian,
  June 8, 2002

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The Soft Power Advantage

• Soft power not brand-new nor is the USG the first
  to try to utilize culture to its advantage
  (France, Italy, Germany, UK)
• US a relative latecomer to utilizing culture for
  diplomatic purposes (WWI CPI)
• Soft power country advantage
• (1) when culture and ideas match prevailing
  global norms of liberalism, pluralism, and
  autonomy (US advantage )
• (2) those with greater access to multiple
  communication channels (ICT) that can influence
  how issues are framed in global news media
• (US advantage)
• (3) when that countrys credibility is enhanced
  by domestic and international behavior (US
  disadvantage --)

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U.S. Soft Power

• U.S. should emphasize synergistic practices such
  as building mutual understanding, global
  community values, not U.S.-led democratic values
  (We hold no patent on soft power or democratic
  principles)
• Acknowledge dialogue and dissent in U.S. overseas
  practices

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Soft Power Paradox

• Surveys show that Arabs and Muslims admire the
• universal values for which the United States
  stands.
• They admire, as well, our technology, our
  entrepreneurial
• zeal, and the achievements of Americans as
  individuals. We
• were told many times in our travels to Arab
  countries that
• we like Americans but not what the American
  government
• is doing. This distinction is unrealistic,
  since
• Americans elect their government and broadly
• support foreign policy.
• Report of the U.S. Advisory
• Group on Public Diplomacy for the Arab and Muslim
• World, October 1, 2003, p. 24

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We Like You, Not Your Policies

1. Open up public diplomacy and soft power networks
   to greater coordination between governmental and
   nongovernmental players
2. Work to build stronger and lasting relationships
   with international journalists
3. Interpersonal communication is most important to
   building trust, understanding, and friendship
   (Fulbright, IVP, Sports, Arts, Writers)
4. Shift focus from Washington, NY, and Hollywood to
   Sister Cities International

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From Telling to Sharing

1. Motto-shift from USIA motto, telling Americas
   story to the world to sharing values, hopes,
   dreams, and common respect with the world
2. Encourage an engagement model of public
   diplomacy over a declamatory model (Washington
   Post editorial Talking to the World) shift
   from To Talk to With Talk

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From Selling to Caring

• The way for this nation to win the hearts and
• minds of those most offended by our Iraqi
  invasion
• and occupation is not through press agentry and
• advertising. Rather, it is by proving to them
  that the
• American spiritwhich, with good will and
• unselfish financing, once helped reinvigorate the
• world after the great wars of the past
  centurystill
• exists despite the arrogant and bullying tactics
  with
• which we have launched the 21st century.
• --Walter Cronkite, The Daily Herald, October 12,
  2003