Join us for a compelling conversation with Joseph Nye, acclaimed author of Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics and one of the foremost thinkers on international relations. In today’s era of escalating geopolitical tensions, where economic competition, technological rivalry, and regional conflicts dominate the global landscape, the concept of soft power—the ability to influence others through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion—has never been more critical.
This thought-provoking discussion, moderated by Susan Yuqing Feng, Programs Director of the China Institute in America, will explore how nations can leverage soft power to address pressing geopolitical concerns. From the U.S.-China rivalry and the reshaping of global alliances to the influence of culture, technology, and diplomacy in shaping international order, this event will delve into the tools and strategies necessary to foster cooperation and stability amid hard geopolitical realities.
Joseph S. Nye, Jr. is University Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus and former Dean of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He received his bachelor's degree summa cum laude from Princeton University, won a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford, and earned a Ph.D. in political science from Harvard. He has served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Chair of the National Intelligence Council, and a Deputy Under Secretary of State, and won distinguished service awards from all three agencies. His 20 books include Soft Power, The Future of Power, The Power Game: A Washington Novel, and A Life in the American Century. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the British Academy, and the American Academy of Diplomacy. In a recent survey of international relations scholars, he was ranked as the most influential scholar on American foreign policy, and in 2011, Foreign Policy named him one of the top 100 Global Thinkers. In 2014, Japan awarded him the Order of the Rising Sun.
Susan Yuqing Feng joined China Institute in America as Director of Programs in 2023. Before joining CI, Susan was the Editor in Chief of Bitpush News, a leading block chain media based in New York and a columnist for the Financial Times Chinese Edition.
Throughout her journalism career, Susan conducted interviews with a multitude of world economic and political leaders, including Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Alan Greenspan, Paul Volker, President Bill Clinton, Zbigniew Brzeziński, Michael Bloomberg, Thomas Friedman, and many more. Susan has also directed the documentary series “World Movers” which was released in March 2018. It illustrated the emerging new world order 70 years after WWII, shedding light on what has changed the U.S. and the world and the forces affecting everyone. It focused on the relationships between technology and globalization, the impact on immigration, and the future of U.S.-China relations.
Susan graduated from Columbia University and got her MA in International Affairs.
