CPD University Fellow Jay Wang’s Soft Power in China Book Just Released

CPD University Fellow and Associate Professor at the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism, Jay Wang's new book, Soft Power in China: Public Diplomacy through Communication, has just been published by Palgrave Macmillan as part of the Global Public Diplomacy series.

"This book provides a glimpse into how China has tried to tell its story to the world", Wang states.

"Based on the author's intimate knowledge of the changing dynamics in China's society, this book shows the picture of a government that is learning fast in the field of international communication, and that is equally confronted with fundamental soft power challenge. This collection of essays greatly improves our understanding of China's public diplomacy as a project under construction." - Jan Melissen, Head of Diplomatic Studies Programme at the Clingendael Institute of International Relations, The Netherlands

In this edited volume, topics include China's public diplomacy efforts in a broad context; emerging themes in country branding efforts; China's authoritarian system and both the benefits and drawbacks in soft power pursuits; international broadcasting efforts including Beijing Review and CCTV News; the "charm offensive" and domestic issues around the Beijing Olympics; and finally a review of Chinese intellectuals in promoting China's international communication initiatives.

From Palgrave Macmillan press:

The idea of soft power figures crucially in the story of China's re-emergence as a global power. While the debate on the intentions and merits of its global outreach continues, China has embarked on its quest for an image makeover. Soft Power in China describes and explains the scope of country's pursuit of soft power through public diplomacy and international communication. What kinds of images does China want to refashion and project? What is the role of the government vis-à-vis that of other institutional and social actors in these efforts? What kinds of tensions and pressures has China experienced? Where do the programs stand in terms of their impact on the country's image? What do all these efforts mean to the broader discussion on the study and practice of public diplomacy and national image management? This book represents a collaborative effort to address these questions.