Publication

This paper reminds us that the role of soft power can indeed be complex. For example, global perceptions of the political controversies, polarization, and paralysis in Washington may indeed be negative, but the combination of popular culture, information exchanges in cyberspace and social media, the “reality TV” genre, and a continued interest in 'democracy in crisis' can all act as a collective antidote to this negative view -- i.e., they generate unprecedented interest in US politics by creating a 'political drama' that resonates with global audiences.