De-Americanizing Soft Power Discourse?

CPD is pleased to announce the release of our newest edition of CPD Perspectives on Public Diplomacy, “De-Americanizing Soft Power Discourse?” by Dr. Daya Thussu of the University of Westminster. This piece examines the shifting global landscape of soft power, away from the U.S. and toward “the rise of the rest,” with a focus on media and entertainment outputs as critical tools in this shift.

The paper begins with a survey of state-affiliated international broadcasters, including the United States’ Voice of America, Qatar’s Al Jazeera, and Iran’s Press TV. Thussu goes on to analyze Turkish soap operas, India’s Bollywood, and Chinese English-language news broadcasts, among other institutions, drawing connections and conclusions about new sites of power and communication in a multipolar world.

To read the full issue, click here.

CPD Perspectives is a periodic publication from the USC Center on Public Diplomacy, and highlights scholarship intended to stimulate critical thinking about the study and practice of public diplomacy.