This thesis investigated how Chinese language and culture education as supported by the Confucius Institutes is perceived by secondairy education students in the Netherlands and assesses whether...Show moreThis thesis investigated how Chinese language and culture education as supported by the Confucius Institutes is perceived by secondairy education students in the Netherlands and assesses whether these students experience Chinese influence on their education by conducting interviews. The analysis from the interviews concludes that students have a generally positive experience with learning Chinese, that there is a lot of attention paid to culture education, and that students do not appear to experience any Chinese influence on their education.Show less
This thesis is situated in the current debate on how Soft power can be utilized in policy making and aims to understand the relations between Soft and Hard power. By analyzing the Expo 2030 in...Show moreThis thesis is situated in the current debate on how Soft power can be utilized in policy making and aims to understand the relations between Soft and Hard power. By analyzing the Expo 2030 in Busan bid, this paper will investigate how Soft power is employed to advance economic Hard power in the Republic of South Korea. With social media analysis, focusing on data and content, as well as content analysis of Yet to Come in Busan concert materials, this work will show that Soft power can be successfully implemented for policy making, thus providing a tool for middle power states to improve their international presence. Hence, by exploring the relations between Soft and Hard power in South Korea, this thesis paper will also contribute to understanding how power relations and new forms of public diplomacy are both of international and regional importance. Throughout the case study this paper will argue that by understanding and interacting with social media audiences, Korea follows a two-way communication approach, thus employing Soft power to increase economic Hard power.Show less
“Hanban’s website reveals that Confucius Institutes are present all over the world, with 135 institutes in Asia, 187 in Europe, 20 in Oceania, 61 in Africa, and 138 in America and specifically 75...Show more“Hanban’s website reveals that Confucius Institutes are present all over the world, with 135 institutes in Asia, 187 in Europe, 20 in Oceania, 61 in Africa, and 138 in America and specifically 75 in the U.S. In 2009, the website reveals that the institutes offered 9,000 Chinese courses on a worldwide scale, reaching a total enrollment of 260,000 people. However, Confucius Institutes are increasingly surrounded by worldwide criticism due to their affiliation with the Chinese Communist Party, or CCP. Many U.S. politicians and academics are raising concerns about issues regarding academic freedom and more recently of a potential political agenda being carried out by the party through the institutes. The NGO Human Rights Watch reported in January 2020 that 22 CIs have closed in the U.S. since August 2018 after the ‘John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019’ was signed by the Congress (Legerwood, 2020).”Show less
While Russia usually uses soft power to gain influence in the post-Soviet space, it decided to extend its influence in Crimea through an annexation, a strategy that Russia has not used (as of yet)...Show moreWhile Russia usually uses soft power to gain influence in the post-Soviet space, it decided to extend its influence in Crimea through an annexation, a strategy that Russia has not used (as of yet) in other post-Soviet areas. This thesis seeks to explain what factors explain Russia’s decision to annex Crimea next to continuing its soft power strategy. This research uses a constructivist approach and argues that culturally and historically constructed relations shape Russia’s foreign policy, and therefore, Russia’s foreign policy varies within the post-Soviet space. This research uses explaining-outcome process-tracing and a most-similar case study comparison to uncover why Russia decided to annex Crimea. The evidence suggests that while the Russian World is an essential aspect of Russia’s soft power strategy, Russia did not annex Crimea because it seeks to unite all compatriots in the Russian World. Instead, the evidence suggests that Russia annexed Crimea because of Crimea’s historical significance to Russia and because Russia seeks to regain its former great power status in the post-Soviet space.Show less
This thesis examines the UAE’s nation-building effort in the context of the Saudi-led coalition’s military intervention to Yemen (2015-2018). In order to do so, a structuralist approach to...Show moreThis thesis examines the UAE’s nation-building effort in the context of the Saudi-led coalition’s military intervention to Yemen (2015-2018). In order to do so, a structuralist approach to International Relations and nationalism have been combined with a domestic approach to foreign-policymaking. The case study of the Khaleej Times newspaper explores, through a qualitative content analysis, how nation-building and nationalism have been flagged (sign-posted) in news items in the context of the Yemen war. The results show that while the UAE is heavily invested in its military intervention abroad, the news-making is focused on ‘softer’ subjects such as humanitarian aid. On the other hand, the approach of accounting for structural elements proves to be insightful. In a globalised, multipolar world, small states with enough resources can project power ‘above their leagues.’ To sum up, nation-building is certainly a continued effort in the UAE. The UAE relies heavily on its image to fulfil her geopolitical aims. What is apparent from the results of this study is that the UAE relies rather on soft power than “pure” hard power to achieve its foreign policy goals.Show less
In 2008, the same year Barack Obama got elected president, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was launched with the release of Iron Man 1. The launch of the MCU introduced a new era with regard to...Show moreIn 2008, the same year Barack Obama got elected president, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was launched with the release of Iron Man 1. The launch of the MCU introduced a new era with regard to super hero movies. Likewise, the election of Barack Obama promised a different direction for the United States foreign policy. Obama advocated using soft power and diplomacy in order to solve the challenges he had inherited from the George W. Bush Administration. This paper looks at the extent to which Phase One of the MCU reflects, and as such aids, the approach of the Obama administration to foreign policy.Show less
This paper examines the differences between marketing strategies of Japanese and Western entertainment giants The Walt Disney Company and The Pokémon Company. Specifically glocalization strategies...Show moreThis paper examines the differences between marketing strategies of Japanese and Western entertainment giants The Walt Disney Company and The Pokémon Company. Specifically glocalization strategies and media mix strategies are compared to gain a more in-depth understanding of underlying structures of globalization and soft power in the West and Japan. The findings present the uniqueness of marketing strategies used by The Pokémon Company.Show less
This thesis explores the ongoing international dispute between Japan and South Korea concerning the issue of WWII sex-slaves known as ‘comfort women’. The main focus lies on the question how...Show moreThis thesis explores the ongoing international dispute between Japan and South Korea concerning the issue of WWII sex-slaves known as ‘comfort women’. The main focus lies on the question how Japanese official apologies for this issue contribute to the successful reconciliation between South Korea and Japan. By using soft power theory to look at the transmission, context and reception of three major Japanese apologies from the 1990s until today, this thesis finds that, Japanese national apologies do not contribute to successful postwar reconciliation. Due to a mismatch between Japanese presentation, compensation and South Korean expectation, the apologies do not lead towards soft power. Domestic political context only further amplifies the gap between transmission and reception, while international pressure does not manage to bridge the gap either. Therefore, this thesis argues that current Japanese apologies for the issue known as the ‘comfort women issue’ do not positively contribute towards successful reconciliation. The potential that future apologies can contribute however, cannot be ruled out.Show less
In 2022, Qatar will become the first Middle-Eastern country to ever host the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup. Yet, this event is politically and historically...Show moreIn 2022, Qatar will become the first Middle-Eastern country to ever host the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup. Yet, this event is politically and historically charged and gave rise to abounding international contestations. Previous research finds Qatar being accused of bribery to FIFA officials, mistreatment of migrant workers and the consequent lack of conformity to international labor rights. Thus, this thesis focuses on how Qatar’s soft power strategies can be beneficial in reforming the country’s legislation on the migrant labor system. This is done through the analysis of the soft empowerment-soft disempowerment nexus following Qatar obtaining the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup in 2010. This study concludes that there is a positive correlation between Qatar’s disempowerment and the adoption of domestic reforms on the country’s laws detrimental to the migrant labor.Show less
In recent years China’s influence in the global order has increased remarkably, thereby stirring up opinions whether China will once again become the world’s leading power by taking over the US’s...Show moreIn recent years China’s influence in the global order has increased remarkably, thereby stirring up opinions whether China will once again become the world’s leading power by taking over the US’s position. Accompanied with their rapid economic growth, Chinese outbound tourism increased substantially. Due to this growing middle class, accompanied with higher disposable income, China has become the largest tourism marked in the world in terms of travels. Due to growing international tourism of Chinese citizens to overseas holiday destinations the phenomenon of cultural interaction between China and other countries is reinforced. As tourism via the Taiwan Strait is said to be dependent on the changing political relations of the two governments, this thesis will conduct research on the influence of tourism in relation to political affairs between China and Taiwan. Consequently, this research will look into the utilization of tourism as a political tool as part of public diplomacy, specifically analyzing the way in which China uses tourism as a public diplomacy tool and how they apply this as a political tool on Taiwan, demonstrating the framework of tourism to wield both soft and hard power. This research will focus the Approved Destination Status policy by the Chinese regarding the regulation of group tours visits to other entities, which has been operating between China and Taiwan since 2008.Show less
This thesis looks at the relationship between the Cool Japan products and how the export of these products reflects upon the public opinion of the Chinese and South Korean public. It addresses the...Show moreThis thesis looks at the relationship between the Cool Japan products and how the export of these products reflects upon the public opinion of the Chinese and South Korean public. It addresses the limitation of cultural diplomacy as a source of soft power in the context of Sino-Japanese and South Korean-Japanese relations.Show less
This thesis aims to research how the Korean Wave has been a factor in increasing the government's soft power. It sets out the role the government has played in creating this source of soft power...Show moreThis thesis aims to research how the Korean Wave has been a factor in increasing the government's soft power. It sets out the role the government has played in creating this source of soft power and how it has affected South Korea's position in the world scene. This is done by researching the effects of K-dramas in the East Asian region and K-pop in the global context.Show less
Present Bachelor of Arts thesis paper presents an empirically oriented news framing analysis that is carried out on a number of RIA Novosti and Sputnik News publications, in order to determine the...Show morePresent Bachelor of Arts thesis paper presents an empirically oriented news framing analysis that is carried out on a number of RIA Novosti and Sputnik News publications, in order to determine the change of intensity of Russian Public Diplomacy efforts in the news media dimension since 2014. The analysis is based on Public Diplomacy, Soft Power, and News Framing theory, and conducted on articles falling under an overarching theme of Russian perception of the historical West. The analysed frames are synthesised in their purest form on the basis of Russian official ideology, paying special attention to the universality of the resonating capacity of the frames, and traced back to publications and appearances of Vladimir Putin, to demonstrate the continuity of a frame, from sponsor to reader. Conclusions are made based on the results of the analysis, and findings on Russian development of Public Diplomacy infrastructure since 1929.Show less
The 2016 Hangzhou G20 Summit was an opportunity for China to present itself on the global stage. In this thesis we research how the concept of soft power plays a role in Chinese domestic and...Show moreThe 2016 Hangzhou G20 Summit was an opportunity for China to present itself on the global stage. In this thesis we research how the concept of soft power plays a role in Chinese domestic and foreign policy, and how this is reflected in the approach to the G20.Show less
Joseph Nye's concept of soft power and it's universalist framework have been used in the past to analyse goverment strategies. This thesis compares Chinese and Japanese soft power strategies and to...Show moreJoseph Nye's concept of soft power and it's universalist framework have been used in the past to analyse goverment strategies. This thesis compares Chinese and Japanese soft power strategies and to what extent they follow Nye's soft power framework.Show less
China has been changing its soft power strategy in Africa since the time of negative media coverage in the early and mid 2000s. A stronger focus is being put on a people-to-people approach of...Show moreChina has been changing its soft power strategy in Africa since the time of negative media coverage in the early and mid 2000s. A stronger focus is being put on a people-to-people approach of interaction, trying to foster stronger personal bonds between Africans and Chinese citizens as well institutions. Education, culture and health care have the strongest positive impact on average African citizens, and China is increasing its efforts in these fields through cooperation agreements.Show less
