public diplomacy

Key interpretations of social and public diplomacy within political and scholarly discourses are considered in this article. The inference is made that both notions (i.e. social and public diplomacy) are often used interchangeably in scholarship that, in its turn, leads to inexpedient confusion over subjective and attribute features of the term while attempting to encompass answers to two main questions: who conducts diplomacy and how is it conducted?

Results of a survey of representatives of leading universities of Saratov region are analyzed in this article. Experts were asked about the current and potential possibilities of using resources of scholarly and educational organizations in terms of achievement of public diplomacy goals. Based on this survey, key directions of optimization of regional universities’ potential and their functioning as subjects of “soft power” for neighboring countries and beyond are systemized and substantiated.

The article contains the results of the opinion polls concerning the way people evaluate public diplomacy potential in Saratov region. The role of mobility of near abroad states’ citizens, as well as networks of personal and kindred contacts in developing public diplomacy practices is defined.

The article deals with topical issues of the implementation of China’s “soft power” policy in the Asia-Pacifi c region. The growing infl uence of China’s public diplomacy is demonstrated by the example of state programs of technological and economic development integrating tools of interaction with the governments of the Asia-Pacifi c states.