Soft Power Revisited: A Current History Anthology

Soft power has become a familiar if somewhat vague notion in world affairs since the political scientist (and Current History contributing editor) Joseph Nye Jr. introduced the term a quarter-century ago. Pundits and politicians invoke it to praise the virtues of any sort of influence that does not depend directly on military strength. Now that soft power is a global phenomenon, adapted by many nations to suit their own circumstances and ambitions, Current History has brought the idea into sharper focus with a series of essays on its regional variations. The eight pieces collected here originally appeared in the magazine in 2013 and 2014.