ABSTRACT
Introduction This chapter starts from a simple observation: despite scepticism from academic theorists and policy commentators about its coherence and utility ‘soft power’ remains firmly entrenched in policy discourse. The popularity of the concept among policymakers stimulates more research which, in turn, gives further life to the concept (Bially Mattern 2007; Solomon 2014; Fan 2008; Breslin 2011; Hall 2010).
