Soft Power in a Digital Age: Competition, Collaboration, Transformative Dynamics

Join the Emerging Threats Group’s Isabel Schulze Froning, BwConsulting’s Dr. Sebastian Seidel, Taskeen Ali of HM Revenue & Customs, and the OECD’s Joshua Polchar to explore soft power at the mid-point of the 2020s, in a special hybrid in-person & online session moderated by Dr. Matt Finch, Associate Fellow of the Saïd Business School and principal at mechanicaldolphin.com.

Ranging across sectors, the session will explore questions such as:

- How is the nature of soft power changing?

Viktoriia Udaltsova

I am a second-year MPhil student in Politics (Comparative Government), researching how different war experiences and war trauma influence political engagement. My master’s thesis focuses on the case of Croatia. Born and raised in Ukraine, I moved to the UK for my undergraduate studies, earning a First-Class Honours BA in International Relations from the University of York.

Untold Story: 140 Years of Ukrainian Women's Movement

This year marks the 140th anniversary of the Ukrainian Women's Movement. Rooted in Cossack families and the households of Greek-Catholic priests, pioneering women played a pivotal role in shaping social institutions and communities. This event offers a unique opportunity to delve into the inspiring history of Ukrainian feminism, exploring the cultural context that shaped its unique path and the distinct challenges it has faced.

Right Here, Right Now: Climate Change in Brazil

Climate change is not only a problem of futurity, changing the planet and ways of life for generations to come. From fires to floods, droughts to storms, the impacts of climate-driven weather events are evident and experienced right now, in different forms around the globe.

Please join us for a roundtable conversation about this year's flooding in Brazil and how climate change is affecting the country.


Panellists:

Dr. Alice Evatt (Oxford Net Zero, Environmental Change Institute)

Edward Routh

I am a first-year student studying for the MPhil in International Relations and a member of Brasenose College. My research primarily focuses on disobedience among Sub-Saharan African political elites in regard to Structural Adjustment Programmes in the 1980s, investigating the 'poverty of imagination' within International Financial Institutions in that period and the factors that both constrained and facilitated African strategies of avoidance.

Insider Threats & Foreign Malign Influence, from Detection to Elimination

This talk examines the rising threat of foreign malign influence and insider threats across sectors, with a focus on their impact within academic institutions. Hostile actors increasingly target academia to access sensitive research, influence intellectual narratives, and gain technological advantages. Through tactics like insider recruitment and propaganda to sow discord, these threats endanger national security and research integrity. The presentation will explore strategies to mitigate these risks, including vetting, transparency in partnerships, and compliance with national requirements.
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