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Soft Power: Is the U.S. Losing its Edge?
Part 2 of 4 in the 2025 International Perspectives Series.
From celebrating Halloween in Spain, Stanley Starbucks cups being released in Japan, and McDonald’s creating the “McBaguette” in France, the United States’s soft power and global influence is evident. But globalization and rapid social media connectivity has brought Korean skincare, the viral French butter bell, and Argentinian football to the masses. The opportunity for nations to become “soft power influencers” has equalized with globalization. A recent Gallup poll about influence had the U.S. leading 81 countries to 131 surveyed, while China only had 52. But is U.S. influence lagging? In a world where the Chinese app TikTok dominates social platforms, how will this impact global perception of the U.S.? Gaps in Africa and Latin America have allowed China and Russia to fill the void and gain influence in those regions. While military and economic power dominate the political spheres, soft power’s attractiveness plays the long game.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Kori Schake is a senior fellow and the director of foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute. Previously, Dr. Schake was the deputy director-general of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. She has had a distinguished career in government, working at the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the National Security Council at the White House. She has also taught at Stanford, West Point, Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, National Defense University, and the University of Maryland.
Dr. Schake is the author of five books and has been widely published in policy journals and the popular press, including in CNN, Foreign Affairs, Politico, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. She is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and War on the Rocks.
Dr. Schake has a PhD and MA in government and politics from the University of Maryland, as well as an MPM from the University of Maryland School of Public Policy. Her BA in international relations is from Stanford University.
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Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers.
Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate
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By World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth
4.6
3131 ratings
Part 2 of 4 in the 2025 International Perspectives Series.
From celebrating Halloween in Spain, Stanley Starbucks cups being released in Japan, and McDonald’s creating the “McBaguette” in France, the United States’s soft power and global influence is evident. But globalization and rapid social media connectivity has brought Korean skincare, the viral French butter bell, and Argentinian football to the masses. The opportunity for nations to become “soft power influencers” has equalized with globalization. A recent Gallup poll about influence had the U.S. leading 81 countries to 131 surveyed, while China only had 52. But is U.S. influence lagging? In a world where the Chinese app TikTok dominates social platforms, how will this impact global perception of the U.S.? Gaps in Africa and Latin America have allowed China and Russia to fill the void and gain influence in those regions. While military and economic power dominate the political spheres, soft power’s attractiveness plays the long game.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Kori Schake is a senior fellow and the director of foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute. Previously, Dr. Schake was the deputy director-general of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. She has had a distinguished career in government, working at the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the National Security Council at the White House. She has also taught at Stanford, West Point, Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, National Defense University, and the University of Maryland.
Dr. Schake is the author of five books and has been widely published in policy journals and the popular press, including in CNN, Foreign Affairs, Politico, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. She is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and War on the Rocks.
Dr. Schake has a PhD and MA in government and politics from the University of Maryland, as well as an MPM from the University of Maryland School of Public Policy. Her BA in international relations is from Stanford University.
.
.
Do you believe in the importance of international education and connections? The nonprofit World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth is supported by gifts from people like you, who share our passion for engaging in dialogue on global affairs and building bridges of understanding. While the Council is not currently charging admission for virtual events, we ask you to please consider making a one-time or recurring gift to help us keep the conversation going through informative public programs and targeted events for students and teachers.
Donate: https://www.dfwworld.org/donate