The European Union´s soft power in India: Opportunities and Challenges

Aditi TANDON

Master's thesis

Using soft power to tackle international terrorism

Abstract:

Soft power, a type of power termed by Harvard academic Joseph Nye, is the ?ability to alter the behaviour of others to get what you want?. Opposed to hard power ? which is coercion using military force or economic sanctions ? soft power is a country?s ability to attract others through its culture, political values, foreign policies, institutions and the like. The key in using soft power is to influence others by gaining voluntary acquiesce and not through coercion or force. In today?s times, it significantly features in foreign policy and international relations discussion.The European Union as bloc is often considered to be a challenger to the U.S. in terms of global influence and often seen as the ?next potential superpower?. This provides an interesting case to see how EU?s image is constructed in the rest of the world, what are the elements of the EU?s soft power and how these elements are used to wield influence. This thesis specifically looks at the EU?s soft power in India. Considering India is a growing power on the global stage and EU is a potential superpower, the two regions cannot ignore each other. Currently, India is more influenced by the U.S. while the EU has stronger ties with China and other South East Asian countries. However, with changing global dynamics, there is a need for EU and India to engage in stronger diplomacy. EU must use its soft power to obtain desired cooperation from India on world issues. This step is especially relevant in current times, as India plays an important role in global issues that are a priority for Europe, like climate change, terrorism, labour and trade regulations and involvement in Asia.

Keywords

soft power, India, EU, international terrorism

Jazyk práce: English

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 20. 5. 2011

Identifikátor: 130445

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Vedúci: Doc. Mgr. Dan Marek, Ph.D.

PALACKÝ UNIVERSITY IN OLOMOUC

Philosophical Faculty

Master programme / odbor:
Cultural Studies / Euroculture