By Lauren McCranie In 1990, Joseph Nye sought to think more holistically about global power dynamics and introduced the concept of soft power: the ability of a country to persuade foreign publics to agree with its policies and stances without explicit force (as opposed to hard power levers like military force). A country’s soft power…

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By Bethan Saunders and Courtney Bale Dunlevie During this global public health crisis, leaders have used conflict-based language to describe the COVID-19 pandemic. From President Trump’s declaration of becoming a “wartime president” to Xi Jinping’s “people’s war,” they have cast the coronavirus as a metaphorical foe to be vanquished. Rhetorical flourishes aside, this public health…

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By Ralston Hough China famously enjoyed nearly 500 years of peace between 1400 and 1894 A.D. Except for a few internal conflicts and a handful of peacekeeping expeditions, China abstained from engaging in military adventurism. Now, more than a century later, rapid industrial development has replaced an introverted agricultural society, and China’s role continues to grow…

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