How a Harvard professor shaped 21st century sport

Joseph Nye and his ideas about soft power will leave an indelible mark on the industry

Former Harvard professor Joseph Nye has died, aged 88.

Nye is perhaps best known for his work on soft power, his definition of which remains ubiquitous almost forty years after he first wrote about the phenomena:

“The ability to influence the behaviour of others to get the outcomes you want.”

Such is now the importance of soft power that countries from Britain to Thailand and beyond adhere to the principles of soft power identified by Nye.

There are even rankings of soft power focusing on sport, of which Publika’s (a French think tank) is one.

Sport as a means through which to generate and project soft power is nowadays commonly accepted.

Countries such as the United States and France appear to do it best.

Others including Brazil and Saudi Arabia are taking it more seriously, utilising it to enhance national standing in the world.

Nye’s work is not without its critics, though its impact upon sport continues to grow.

For instance, South Korea’s approach is closely linked to esports and gaming, Australia focuses on threats posed by some other countries.

Many people engaged with sport still may not know about Nye and his work on soft power, even so it is likely to continue influencing how sport is utilised in decades to come.

Footnote

The above image was sourced from https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/kylian-mbappe-emmanuel-macron-psg-real-madrid-b2160862.html