The Conversation: How Russia Employs ‘Hard Soft Power’ to Influence Overseas Media and Sow Dissent and Fear Among Foreign Populations

Public diplomacy - the art of rallying a foreign audience behind a nation's interests - used to be about attracting support through charm, values and cultural exports. It is what political scientist Joseph Nye first referred to as "soft power."

But a peer-reviewed study of Russian attempts to use foreign media as a diplomacy tool in the run-up to the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 highlights that the art has been adapted into what is called "hard soft power."

Under this form of public diplomacy, governments mix in subtle threats to make the citizens of targeted countries feel unsafe. The overarching goals of such a strategy are to sow or exacerbate existing divisions, promote social chaos and extend the geopolitical reach of the responsible country.

Professor of Journalism and Media Catherine Luther and Professor of Political Science Brandon Prins joined colleagues in a study about Russia's use of hard soft power. Read about their findings at The Conversation.

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