Soft Power and Geopolitics: The Art of Influence

Catalog description

How do countries convince each other to cooperate? What are the nonviolent ways that nation states engage in political and social change? What is Soft Power and how have countries wielded it over time? Joseph Nye famously stated that "the best propaganda is not propaganda." This class defines the different aspects of Power, demonstrating the role of culture in shaping policy and public opinion. Analyzing cases from antiquity, to the Cold War, and through the modern era - this course delves into the myriad of ways countries engage in diplomacy, in everyday life. Class activities range from analyzing Soviet propaganda posters, to reading Japanese Manga, to tracing the impact of Ethiopian Orthodoxy. Students will gain an interdisciplinary understanding of critical geopolitics through the lenses of education, public health, social policy, and the arts. This class will also take field trips within the Bay Area, including a visit to the Silicon Valley African Film Festival.