CONCEPTUALIZATION OF “SOFT POWER” IN MODERN POLITICAL SCIENCE: EVOLUTION OF THEORETICAL APPROACHES AND TOOLS

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the theoretical aspects of the «soft power» concept and to systematize the main approaches to its understanding in modern political science. The research methodology is based on a systematic approach using comparative, historical, and structural-functional methods that allow studying the evolution of the concept and the diversity of its interpretations. Research results: the multifaceted and contradictory interpretations of “soft power” are revealed, the methodological aspects of its study are analyzed, as well as specific mechanisms and tools for practical application. The author proposes a typology of “soft power” tools, including cultural-value, public-diplomatic, and institutional components. Discussion: conceptual problems and contradictions of the “soft power” theory are considered, including the methodological complexity of operationalization, the uncertainty of the concept boundaries, issues of universality, ambivalence, and transformation of functioning mechanisms in the digital era. The conclusion substantiates the transformation of ideas about “soft power” from instrumental understanding to a more integrative approach that takes into account the complex nature of modern international interactions in the context of the formation of a polycentric world order. The conceptual development of the topic forms a theoretical foundation for further research into the peculiarities of the use of “soft power” in Russian foreign policy practice.