Impacts of soft Power on State Sovereignty
by Rachel Van Der Veen
pp. 140-162 Issue 16 (8,2) – July-December 2021 ISSN (online): 2539/2239 ISSN (print): 2389-8232 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14718/SoftPower.2022.9.7.
Abstract
Soft power has been used widely as a foreign policy tool, and the instruments used have gradually changed and adapted over time to reflect the evolving priorities of nation-states and their populations, as well as increasing global interconnectivity and use of technology. This paper examines the impacts of the use of soft power on state sovereignty, specifically in the Asian region, using Thailand and Indonesia as case studies. Various instruments of soft power and their use are examined, including ‘mask diplomacy’ during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the international spread of foreign-sponsored education programs. Although soft power is an effective means for international engagement and relationship development, this paper finds that an over-welcome of soft power invites foreign influence that can pose a risk state sovereignty in the areas of authority and governance legitimacy, recognising the personal and political impacts of sovereignty in a time of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, education programs and institutes have been criticised in academic literature as a potential means for countries to advance political agendas overseas and exert influence on diasporas and local populations. Materials informing this paper include social media content, official state publications and traditional media articles. Social media content is a focus of analysis for this paper as it provides real-time feedback on local engagement with and opinions of soft power initiatives, indicating the corresponding effectiveness of these initiatives.