Projects / Programmes
Transatlantic Cooperation and the Diaspora as a Soft Power - The Role and Importance of Intellectuals in the United States and Canada
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 2.07.00 |
Engineering sciences and technologies |
Computer science and informatics |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 1.02 |
Natural Sciences |
Computer and information sciences |
State, Nation, Diaspora, Social Capital, Cultural Capital, Soft Power, University, International Relations, Economic Diplomacy, Scientific Diplomacy, Digitization
Researchers (5)
Organisations (2)
Abstract
The concept of soft power derives from the ability to persuade based on the appeal of a country's political values, culture, and policies. While hard power comes from the military or economic power of the state, soft power comes primarily from individuals and civil society, occurs in discrete, subtle forms, and is essential for the in-depth influence of the state in the international community. It is soft power that plays a crucial role in resolving critical global issues that require multilateral cooperation between countries. Therefore, it is essential that Slovenia better understands the role, scope, and potential of its soft power. In Slovenia, this issue has not yet received the attention and treatment comparable to recent studies and the most prosperous countries. The purpose of the project is to explore the role and importance of the Slovenian diaspora in the United States and Canada as a source of Slovenian soft power. The research aims to shed light on the development, scope, and potential of Slovenian intellectuals, cultural figures, and businessmen living in North America, especially individuals who emigrated after 1991. In this way, the research will contribute to a new perspective of transatlantic cooperation and analyze the interest, opportunities, and impact of Slovenian diaspora to promote Slovenia, representation of its interests, and its greater internationalization and global recognition. The Slovenian case contains many specifics due to various reasons (among them are many migration regimes), and the number opens up original research questions. The project's originality lies in the thematization of the issue, which the previous studies on transatlantic cooperation only touch on marginally, and in the conceptualization and implementation using modern methodological techniques and new analytical approaches. The project will a) list, analyze and evaluate the current role, scope, interest, and possibilities of the Slovenian diaspora in North America for the promotion of Slovenia, b) build a database of Slovenian intellectuals, people in business, and cultural figures in the USA and Canada, and c) analyze the collected data with modern statistical techniques and data mining. Originality is also in the trans-disciplinary scope of the proposed research, which covers the fields of culture, economic diplomacy, and education. For the first time, the project will highlight and offer a comprehensive insight into the little-known role of the Slovenian diaspora in North America as soft power. The relevance and impact of the project are also in the database of individuals who represent the intellectual, entrepreneurial, and cultural group in the diaspora, to whom the state can turn in increasing its visibility and integration into the global space, strengthening Slovenian economic diplomacy in internationalization and attracting foreign investment, and strengthening transatlantic cooperation in academia. The results of the research will be available to the professional and general public. They will include proposals for concrete changes, recommendations, and guidelines for developing strategies in the area concerned. They will be directly useful for various stakeholders in Slovenia to better understand and use soft power to increase its influence in the international community. The research will take the form of a team of researchers who are active in several fields (engineering, humanities and social sciences, economics), operate in Slovenia and the United States, and have extensive experience in transatlantic cooperation. This is the best guarantee for the feasibility of the proposed project.
