Abstract:
| | The article reveals the role and nature of soft power as an instrument in protecting national security, reflecting contemporary interpretations of the concept. The authors begin with the axiomatic statement that the production, accumulation, and use of soft power are essential for safeguarding national security in the modern world. Considering the need to study this topic in light of the evolving world order, the increasingly global nature of security threats and the greater interdependence among actor states in the international arena, this article proposes a contextual approach to the analysis of soft security cases. Consequently, the authors outline and discuss the operationalisation of soft power functions for both large and small states. The authors indicate and suggest the main strategies employed by actor-states in the use of soft power, which not only clarifies the key role of non-rigid influence methods in strengthening the security of the state, society, and individuals while also facilitating a comprehensive analysis of the actor-state's behaviour regarding the safeguarding and advancement of its security interests. It is argued that whereas traditionally soft power has been viewed as a means to "attract" recipient actors, within the context of security discourse, soft power may exhibit “hard” characteristics.
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