The Confrontation Interpretation of “Soft Power”: the Transformation of the American Concept in Russia

Abstract

The article provides a general overview of the “soft power” theory and the features of its perception in Russia. The author analyses the fluctuations between the communicative and confrontation interpretations of the “soft power” concept in Russian foreign policy as well as the circumstances that influenced the shift towards the confrontation interpretation. The author assumes that the drift of the American concept of “soft power” towards “sharp power” in Russia is determined by the fundamental difference between American and Russian foreign policies as universalist and opposed to universalism. In the conclusion, the urgent problems of shaping and promoting the “soft power” of Russia are outlined.