Soft power and public diplomacy

A good way to start exploring the field of e-diplomacy is to discuss the correlation between this theme and the theory of international relations. Joseph Nye explains how public diplomacy currently relies on “soft power”, or convincing others to “want what you want”, instead of making others “do what you want” by using traditional “hard power” techniques, such as military resources.

According to Nye, public diplomacy relies on influencing public opinion, acting together with non-government actors, making effective use of communication and interaction. “Soft power depends on an understanding of the mind of others and the best public diplomacy is a two-way street”.