The ISA panel: “Public Diplomacy and Power: To What End?†chaired by Philip Seib delivered a forward looking discussion of the term power within Public Diplomacy.
Quick description of the panel:
“Soft power†as a conceptual foundation for public diplomacy has contributed significantly to public diplomacy’s rise in global affairs. Yet, links between power and public diplomacy remain ill-defined, particularly in the context of the “new†public diplomacy, which calls for a more symmetrical, dialogic approach to international relations. This panel of experts will consider the contested relationship between public diplomacy and power and examine the role of power in contemporary public diplomacy theory and practice. They will explore the analytical boundaries of public diplomacy as a distinct instrument of power used for both coercive and cooperative purposes and consider the desired outcomes of public diplomacy efforts.
Questions included:
- If public diplomacy is viewed as an extension of power over others, then how does relationship building fit within such a construct? What does power mean in a collaborative public diplomacy context?
- What influence does the relative power of nation-states (or other international actors) have on cross-border relationship building? What moral aspects should be considered in discussions of power in public diplomacy?
- Finally, do links between public diplomacy and power define (or mask) public diplomacy’s purpose and value to nations and other international actors, as well as to global society?
For an additional perspective Indra Adnan and the Power of Soft Power is worth watching: