The Confluence of Soft Power Diplomacy and Coalition Politics

Abstract

China's growing influence through soft power diplomacy is a parallel storyline to Africa's current experience with coalition politics and electoral democracy, especially in the Middle East and East Asia. This chapter examines how China employs coalition politics to enhance its larger diplomatic efforts in Africa with the goal of connecting these two crucial storylines. This chapter uses examples from the Middle East and East Asia to explore the complexities of coalition governments in Africa and how they might help or hurt China's soft power ambitions. This study, which takes an interdisciplinary approach, will shed new light on the complex dynamics at play when coalitions of politicians, democratic governments, and foreign governments interact. The chapter finishes with concrete suggestions for policymakers, stressing the importance of a comprehensive knowledge of these overlapping domains for the development of effective and democratic approaches to government in Africa. Policymakers, academics, and practitioners in the fields of politics, international relations, development studies, and sociology are among the many who will find value in this chapter.