Bakhriev B., Rustamova Leili
Soft Power of a Military Organization: NATO’s Public Diplomacy in Central Asia
Publication Type:


ISSN 1561-7793

DOI 10.17223/15617793/458/11

This article analyzes the features of NATO’s public diplomacy in Central Asia. Based on the neoliberal concept of soft power, the authors expand public diplomacy’s actorness domain, considering its manifestations in the activities of international organizations. The NATO case shows how international organizations can use resources of public diplomacy to legitimize their existence in the changing realities of world politics, to popularize their charter goals and their mission in the international arena, and to garner support for their policies. To this end, NATO not only brings into use a wide range of mechanisms of traditional public diplomacy (print production, scientific and educational exchanges, television), but also actively works in the virtual field (video hosting services, social networks). These areas of the Alliance’s relevant work also cover the post-Soviet Central Asia, which is considered a strategically important region for Russia’s interests. This moment determines the predominantly public-diplomatic nature of NATO’s package of cooperation offered to the countries of the region. Firstly, the military-political relations of Russia with Central Asian states do not leave significant space for NATO’s “hard-power” presence in the region. Secondly, existing opinion polls in some Central Asian countries show negative attitude towards NATO, which requires from the latter to boost its soft power activities. The authors highlight three areas of the Alliance’s core work in the region: information work, scientific and educational work, and expert diplomacy. These mechanisms of public diplomacy not only work on such tactical tasks as raising awareness about the Organization and promoting narrative about the benefits of partnering with it, but also pursue strategic goals—forming loyal circles through interaction with civil society, public opinion leaders, and through training of military personnel, engaging with young generation in the countries of the region. A simplified SWOT analysis the authors conducted shows that despite the attractiveness of NATO’s public diplomacy projects for segments of the region’s population, a number of factors limit its activities. The authors found that, according to the degree of intensity and multidimensionality, NATO’s public diplomacy in Central Asia varies from the most active in Kazakhstan to the least in Turkmenistan. The authors come to the conclusion that, in the face of current strained Russia–NATO relations, formats of public diplomatic work are becoming the most preferable and least sensitive aspect of maintaining the Alliance’s presence in Central Asia.


Keywords: soft power | public diplomacy | NATO | Central Asia |

Russian Science Citation Index



OTHER PUBLICATIONS ON THIS TOPIC

Artamonova Uliana
Эволюция институтов российской публичной дипломатии [Текст] / У. З. Артамонова // Россия и Америка в XXI веке. – 2019. – № 3. – DOI: 10.18254/S207054760006903-0. – URL: https://rusus.jes.su/s207054760006903-0-1/.

Artamonova Uliana
Эволюция государственных институтов публичной дипломатии США [Электронный ресурс] / У. З. Артамонова // Россия и Америка в XXI веке. – 2019. – № 1. – DOI: 10.18254/S207054760004625-4. – URL: https://rusus.jes.su/s207054760004625-4-1/.

Artamonova Uliana
Обменные программы как инструмент публичной дипломатии США // США и Канада: экономика, политика, культура. 2023. Т. 53, № 12. С. 86-98. DOI 10.31857/S2686673023120088.

Artamonova Uliana
American public diplomacy during the first year of J. Biden’s presidency

Rogozhina Natalia
«Мягкая сила» в политике Китая в странах Юго-Восточной Азии [Текст] / Н.Г. Рогожина // Юго-Восточная Азия: актуальные проблемы развития. – 2017. – № 34. – С. 24-33.

Evseev Vladimir
Центральная Азия: затянувшийся выбор [Текст] / В.В. Евсеев // Металлы Евразии. – 2014. – 4 (110). – 12 – 14.

Malysheva Dina
Центральная Азия и вывод войск МССБ из Афганистана [Текст] / Д.Б. Малышева // Россия и мусульманский мир. – 2013. – № 7. – С. 85 – 94.

Rustamova Leili
The mechanism of "soft power" implementation and the limits of its use

Rogozhina Natalia
«Мягкая сила» в политике Китая в странах Юго-Восточной Азии [Текст] / Н.Г. Рогожина //Вестник теоретических проблем = Bản tin Những vấn đề lý luận (Phục vụ lãnh đạo) [на вьетнамском языке]. – 2018. – № 1. – С. 44-49.

Artamonova Uliana
Реформа иновещания на фоне системного кризиса американской публичной дипломатии // Россия и Америка в XXI веке : электронный научный журнал. 2020. № 4. DOI 10.18254/S207054760013295-1. URL: https://rusus.jes.su/s207054760013295-1-1/ Дата публикации: 30.12.2020.

Rustamova Leili, Bakhriev B.
Особенности публичной дипломатии ЕС в Центральной Азии // Полития: Анализ. Хроника. Прогноз. 2020. № 3 (98). С. 165-180. DOI 10.30570/2078-5089-2020-98-3-165-180.

Malysheva Dina
Постсоветская Центральная Азия: угроза религиозного экстремизма с Юга // Международная жизнь. 2022. № 6. С. 96-105.

Kharitonova Elena
British soft power: comparative analysis of instruments, mechanisms and practices

Salitskii Alexander
Central Asia: political and energy issues in the Russia-China format

Surkov Nikolay
Тренды Ближнего Востока и Центральной Азии [Текст] = Contemporary trends in the Middle East and Central Asia / Н. Ю. Сурков // Вестник МГИМО - Университета. – 2018. – № 6(63). – С. 325-333. DOI: 10.24833/2071-8160-2018-6-63-325-333. – Рец. на кн.: Звягельская И.Д. Ближний Восток и Центральная Азия: Глобальные тренды в региональном исполнении. – М.: Аспект Пресс, 2018. – 224 с.

Malyshev Dmitry
Террористическая угроза с постсоветского Юга (Центральная Азия и Кавказ) [Текст] / Д.В. Малышев // Актуальные проблемы Европы. – 2017. – № 4. – С. 163-187.

Kharitonova E.M. The soft power of the United Kingdom. – Moscow, IMEMO, 2018. – 139 p.

Gadzhiev Kamaludin
О тотализации войны в гибридном измерении [Текст] / К. С. Гаджиев // Власть. – 2019. – № 3. – С. 9-19. DOI: 10.31171/vlast.v27i3.6396.

Stepanova Ekaterina
Афганистан после 2014: перспективы для России // Russie.Nei.Visions, Париж: ИФРИ, май 2013, № 71.

Rogozhina Natalia
The Mask Diplomacy of China in Southeast Asia. Yugo-Vostochnaya Aziya: aktual'nyye problemy razvitiya, 2021, T. I, № 1 (50). Pp. 73–81. DOI:10.31696/2072-8271-2021-1-1-50-073-081
Related publications


Comments (0)

No comments

Add comment







First news
Institute News
03/09/2024

The Spring–Summer issue of “Pathways to Peace and Security”, no. 1 (66), 2024, is now online. The opening section on the Middle Eastern affairs is focused on sharp escalation of the Palestinian–Israeli conflict and the war in Gaza. 

more...

30/08/2024

On August 30, 2024, the website of the Russian International Affairs Council published an article by Tatiana Popadeva “Not All ‘Behind the House’ Yet: How the Right in Croatia is Playing on the National Feelings of Its Citizens”.

more...

Recently Published