Harvard University's Distinguished Service Professor Nye is a political scientist who coined the concept "soft power" -- a kind of power that has the ability to attract rather than coerce, and that has been widely used by Turkish decision-makers to highlight the country's appeal as a modern Muslim democracy. Nye is despondent over Turkey's current direction and believes that cracking down on dissent has a negative impact on Turkey's most significant weapon: soft power.

The current occupant of that office, Richard Stengel, acknowledges that "the ultimate battle is not on the military battlefield, it's in the information space."  (...)The problem is that ISIS is very, very good at turning out highly professional video work. They are adept at using the right music to evoke the right mood and their grizzly executions take on an almost ethereal feeling.

Professor Martha Bayles of Boston College’s College of Arts and Sciences honors department brought together leaders within the film industry for a panel discussion on Feb. 23 about how America is internationally perceived. (...) She explores America’s image abroad and the potentially surprising lack of desirability in America’s freedom and democracy, as well as the distorted portrayals of these qualities among America’s cultural exports.

The United States Agency for International Development has requested $21,8 million to fund political activities in Zimbabwe for 2016, including availing money to the civil society's agenda to "hold Government accountable". Information at hand indicates that some of the countries to receive the money in Sub-Saharan Africa besides Zimbabwe are South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Liberia and Somalia.

The Department for International Development’s (DfID) extensive use of US organisations to strengthen parliaments in developing countries risks using British taxpayers’ money to promote “less accountable” American-style political systems at the expense of those based on the Westminster model, MPs have warned.

With the stunning election victory of President Maithripala Sirisena, on a platform of change for good governance, the potential for brand Sri Lanka to strengthen itself has grown exponentially.

The law declaring Israel the state of the Jewish people is not about passing Torah legislation, but concerns accepting the definition of Jewish democracy in a post-modern world.

The Senate's revelations don't pose much risk of a rupture in transatlantic ties.  Instead, the most common reaction was to praise the report as a sign of American transparency and accountability—two of the values meant to bind the West together—while many European statesmen have so far avoided saying anything at all.