Nepal's soft power: instruments and heir oles

Abstract

Soft power is a neoliberal concept. Joseph Nye defined it as the ability to make others do things and get what you want. The methods employed in soft power are attractive and persuasive. It is the means to achieve national interest more indirectly. Sovereign people have a powerful influence on their respective governments. So, cultural and public diplomacy are the soft power methods to attract the foreign public more than their governments. Today, soft power has become an important policy instrument for states. In South Asia, countries such as India and China have given more importance to soft power promotion and projection in recent decades by employing culture, ideologies, values, ideas, and achievements as soft power instruments. Their soft power policy influence is increasing in the entire region. Other South Asian countries such as Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and the Maldives are also in the soft power race. Nepal is politically democratic, economically developing, socio- culturally diverse, and ecologically distinct. She possesses several social, cultural, economic, political, and ecological factors that significantly impact Nepal‟s soft power aspiration. Nepal also has the potential to achieve its foreign policy objectives by mobilizing soft power instruments. However, Nepal lacks strong engagement and exerts less soft power influence in the region. So, this particular subject requires more study because research is minimal in the Nepalese context. Therefore, this research identifies some factors and mediums of Nepal‟s soft power, which are referred to as instruments. This study also analyzes their role in achieving Nepal‟s soft power objectives. On the other hand, this research also attempts to contextualize soft power policy according to Nepal‟s economic and institutional capacities. Keywords: soft power, cultural diplomacy, public diplomacy, soft power instruments, Nepal