Can the US regain its global influence?
Wednesday 28th March, 2007
16:00 BST / 11:00 EDT
The United States is undoubtedly becoming increasingly unpopular around the world. Polling evidence suggests that US policies certainly play a part but are not the sole reason, as more underlying factors also seem to be at work.
As this affects US 'soft power' - in contrast to hard power instruments such as military force -- it could reduce US ability to advance its political objectives around the world and also affect US business interests.
Nonetheless, at the same time 'Brand America' still seems to retain considerable appeal globally. Is the brand strong enough to reverse the trend?
This call will ask to what extent the United States is losing influence, the implications of this and how the US is viewed differently in key regions of the world. We will also consider how this trend can be reversed. Questions to be addressed will include:
- To what extent has the US lost influence? Is such influence recoverable? If so, in what time frame?
- How much does soft power matter anyway?
- To what extent has this made other countries less receptive to US diplomacy and worldview and made it harder to assemble coalitions and to work through multilateral institutions?
- How does it affect US economic interests, eg Doha negotiations, and US business interests, particularly symbolic US brands?
- How is the US viewed differently in key regions: the Middle East, Latin America and Southeast Asia?
- How can the trend be reversed, and how can US public diplomacy overcome the widespread predisposition to reject pro-US messages? Are 'packaging' and assurances of US good intentions enough? Can the US come up with a new approach that is credible?
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