Soft Power and the Worldwide Promotion of Chinese Language Learning: The Confucius Institute Project

By Jeffrey Gil

'The Confucius Institute Project' - consisting of Confucius Institutes and Classrooms, the posting of Chinese language teachers to overseas schools and universities and the Chinese Bridge language competition - represents an attempt by China to extend its influence globally through the use of soft power. Facilitated by a rapidly increasing demand for Chinese language learning, it has established a presence across the globe and made valuable contributions to the learning and teaching of Chinese. However, this has not necessarily led to an increasingly positive view of China, either at a political or a societal level. Through an analysis of official documents, interviews with those involved, a survey of Chinese-language learners and a study of academic and media sources, the author evaluates the aims of the project, and discusses whether these aims are being met.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1783098058
• ISBN13: 9781783098057
• Release Date: May 2017
• Publisher: Multilingual Matters Limited
• Length: 130 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.2" x 9.3"