Концепция «мягкой силы» Джозефа Ная в зарубежном научном дискурсе: интерпретация и критика

Abstract

The concept of soft power which was developed at the turn of the XX–XXI centuries by one of the leaders of the neoliberal approaches in the modern theory of international relations J.S. Nye Jr. has recently gained more and more sustained interest from the domestic academic and expert community. So far, however, Russian researchers are significantly inferior to their Western colleagues in studying the problem. This circumstance requires further research in this extremely relevant scientific area. The article analyzes the key theses of the concept of soft power and the reflection on them by prominent representatives of foreign scientific discourse. A systematic approach and comparative analysis are used as research methods. It is emphasized that despite the widespread recognition of Nye’s merits, Western political scientists reproached their colleague for the insufficient rigor of his works, their academic and conceptual vagueness, inaccuracy of key definitions, the lack of a clearly defined set of resources, tools and mechanisms for implementing the policy of soft power in the international arena. The discussions unfolded on the question of soft power and hard power ratio, as well as the assessment of real results of applying the soft power strategy in practice. As a result, it is concluded that foreign scientists have a lot of questions both to the theoretical and methodological components of this concept and to its practical side. Nevertheless, the significance of the Nye’s concept for the development of the international relations theory is extremely great. It is J. Nye who managed to create a fairly complete and elaborated concept, which, despite serious and sometimes fair criticism from other reputable scientists, was not only accepted in the scientific community, but also adopted by the political elites of the leading powers of our time.