CHERN’s WG4 held its first workshop entitled Chinese Soft Power in Context. Working group members presented their latest research in the context of the key overarching question: What is the most recent dynamic between Europe and China in matters of perceptions and soft power?
The workshop opened with a thought provoking keynote by Prof. Frank Pieke (Institute for Area Studies, Leiden University) on his ongoing research and concluded by an insightful lecture by Prof. Yongjin Zhang (School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies, University of Bristol) who offered a historical and constructivist perspective on the ‘long durée’ of Chinese soft power.
With more than 30 participants, the two days were filled with presentations of ongoing research on European policy and popular perceptions of Chinese soft power, comparisons of Chinese and European values, and examples of Chinese soft power in different contexts, followed by lively Q&As and discussions.
The workshop took place 11th-12th March 2021.
See Prof. Zhang Yongjin’s lecture China’s Soft Power in Europe: A Historical and Philosophical Reflection