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Competing for Soft Power
278 pages, Paperback
Published July 9, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
September 5, 2026
Competing for Soft Power examines China's efforts to build diplomatic influence in Africa through the critical case study of Ethiopia. Maria Repnikova moves beyond simplified accounts of Chinese influence to examine how soft power is actually produced, communicated, received, negotiated, and sometimes resisted in specific political and social contexts.
The book develops the concept of China's image making through several interconnected mechanisms, including material and experiential offerings, the promotion of political values and governance ideas, and the control of narratives about China. This framework provides a useful way of examining how diplomatic influence operates beyond conventional ideas of propaganda or straightforward political persuasion.
The attention to Ethiopian perspectives is particularly important. Through fieldwork, interviews, and focus groups, the study considers how Ethiopian recipients can interpret, appropriate, and negotiate Chinese influence rather than simply receiving it passively. The result is a more complicated picture of international influence and the relationships through which it develops.
The book also has broad relevance to international relations, political communication, African studies, Asian studies, China studies, global communication, and political economy. Its comparative and transnational approach makes it valuable for readers interested in China's role in the Global South and the continuing influence of Western actors in shaping these encounters.
The Goodreads listing currently shows 0 ratings and 0 written reviews, while the book was published in July 2026 by Cambridge University Press. This creates a strong opportunity to establish reader awareness and build a targeted scholarly presence around its timely examination of China, Ethiopia, diplomacy, soft power, and global influence.
The book develops the concept of China's image making through several interconnected mechanisms, including material and experiential offerings, the promotion of political values and governance ideas, and the control of narratives about China. This framework provides a useful way of examining how diplomatic influence operates beyond conventional ideas of propaganda or straightforward political persuasion.
The attention to Ethiopian perspectives is particularly important. Through fieldwork, interviews, and focus groups, the study considers how Ethiopian recipients can interpret, appropriate, and negotiate Chinese influence rather than simply receiving it passively. The result is a more complicated picture of international influence and the relationships through which it develops.
The book also has broad relevance to international relations, political communication, African studies, Asian studies, China studies, global communication, and political economy. Its comparative and transnational approach makes it valuable for readers interested in China's role in the Global South and the continuing influence of Western actors in shaping these encounters.
The Goodreads listing currently shows 0 ratings and 0 written reviews, while the book was published in July 2026 by Cambridge University Press. This creates a strong opportunity to establish reader awareness and build a targeted scholarly presence around its timely examination of China, Ethiopia, diplomacy, soft power, and global influence.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review