Soft power Does The Salvation Army have cultural soft power? By Christin Davis
At its core, soft power succeeds in a state’s ability to bend others to its will without resorting to force or payment. According to the phrase’s creator, Joseph Nye, “Success depends not only on whose army wins, but also on whose story wins.” The Salvation Army is not a political entity, but it Do our values, culture, policies and does have a story to tell. Its mission requires others to identify, connect and participate. institutions drive others to want The currency of soft power is in the values, culture, what we want? policies and institutions of an actor. As Nye says, it’s the ability to attract or repel others to “want what you want.” Do our values, culture, policies and institutions drive others to want what we want? Have we commu1-year terms to form recommendations on how nicated what it is that we want (commonly deduced the government can better partner with relevant today to: “save souls, grow saints, and serve suffering organizations. That would be a place for the Army humanity”)? to strategically exert soft power. By focusing on the currency of our soft power, this This issue, “We the People,” features various Army can further leverage its impact. In connecting ways The Salvation Army interacts with agencies with the government, we can extend our reach and of government around the world, from better preinfluence on the social and religious concerns of this paring for disaster response, to partnering with law country. enforcement for gang intervention in California, to One way we have done this is through a link with the providing humanitarian assistance in Iraq, to a miWhite House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood grant center in Tijuana, to far-reaching service to Partnerships, directed by Joshua DuBois, a Pentecostal veterans in the United States. minister with a master’s degree in international affairs People today are not silent about what they from Princeton. His office coordinates the 12 centers want. for faith-based and community initiatives at various “Can [The Salvation Army] afford to be a nongovernment agencies, including the Department of participant in the public square of the 21st Labor and the Department of Homeland Security, century?” Major Lawrence Shiroma asks which work to support faith-based groups and conon pg. 26. Not if we want people to want nect the government to nonprofits. what we want. “The challenges we’re facing as a country are We know this Salvation Army has influgreater than any one entity can solve alone,” DuBois ence on the well being of humanity; let’s said. “When it comes to feeding hungry people, continue to connect and interact with there is a role for faith-based groups and for govChristin agencies of government—utilizing soft ernment. At some point, faith-based groups may be Davis is the power to attract others to our mission and able to feed every stomach in the country, but until managing to make our story win. w editor of then government has to be involved as well to fulNew Frontier fill our moral mandate to feed the hungry.” Connect with Caring Publications. DuBois’ office also coordinates the president’s twitter @CaringMagazine advisory council on faith-based and neighborfacebook.com/CaringMagazine hood partnerships, a group of 25 leaders who serve email: caring@usw.salvationarmy.org
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