How to Measure Soft Power in International Relations

Gallarotti G.M.,

Professor, Department of Government, Wesleyan University, ggallarotti@wesleyan.edu

DOI: 10.17976/jpps/2020.01.07

Rubric: Theory and Methodology of Political Studies

For citation:

Gallarotti G.M. How to Measure Soft Power in International Relations. – Polis. Political Studies. 2020. No. 1. P. 89-103. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17976/jpps/2020.01.07

Abstract

This paper provides suggestions on how to properly operationalize “soft power” in international relations and organize the measures into categories that are more favorable for quantitative analyses. While we mention several existing indexes, analysis concentrates on the best known and most extensively applied index of “soft power”: The “Soft Power”30 Index. So far, the actually measures used for quantitative analysis based on these most popular data sets have been flawed. This paper attempts to illuminate these flaws and prescribes solutions for improving the measures. In this respect, the paper serves as an important prelude to quantitative studies of soft power. This paper is organized as follows: first, the author presents the leading measures of soft power by data base and content of each. Then he identifies flaws in measuring “soft power” and prescribes better measures. The last section offers brief concluding remarks.

Keywords

soft power, hard power, quantitative research methods, indices, operationalization, international relations.

Full Text

References

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Content No. 1, 2020