Bücher der Reihe Diplomacy and Strategy

U.S. relations with the six nations in the Gulf Cooperation Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) have been characterized by the use of "smart power" during the administration of President Barack Obama. The evolution in how the United States carries out diplomacy in the region offers an opportunity to examine its value in strengthening relations with the countries involved. This book explores the concept of smart power as a modern outgrowth of more traditional forms of diplomacy. It then examines how the United States has applied it in its diplomatic dealings with each of the GCC countries individually, and assesses the benefits and drawbacks of its use in a critical part of the world.

Power and media are closely linked in any ideological political system, but Italy under three-term premier Silvio Berlusconi is a case apart. A businessman-turned-politician and owner of a vast media empire, Berlusconi became Italy's longest-serving post-war prime minister through his proficient use of television. This book examines how Berlusconi built his empire and used the media to achieve and retain political success in a milieu where allegations of corruption, bribery and links to the Mafia were constant features, and amid his own sexual scandals. Finally, the author wonders if Berlusconi's media-driven political power is a ¿model¿ that could be replicated in other countries.

For a number of decades, governance models imposed by traditional Western donors as a condition for aid to Sub-Saharan Africa have yielded only modest results. China's more recent efforts, by contrast, focus on cooperation with countries in the region to foster their national development. This can establish the conditions that allow improved democratic governance to emerge and flourish locally ¿ but the Chinese model has drawbacks as well as benefits. This book examines and contrasts the two approaches toward Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting the experience of Côte d'Ivoire.¿