Вклад образовательных учреждений в культурную дипломатию Германии и Китая

This paper contains final results of the Master’s research dedicated to international educational institutions in the sphere of cultural diplomacy, which become a relatively new integrative part of international relations and so-called international society. I think that now, when the world has plunged into an unprecedented crisis, the role of cultural diplomacy will be increasingly important, perhaps even its new remote forms will appear. While some direct communications between countries are not possible, cultural institutions are broadcasting programs on different channels: concerts, language courses, lectures and supporting the unity of the world. Thus the topic under study is very relevant to the modern world and scientific research.
The aim of this research is to create a sociological model which would explain the contribution of educational institutions to the development of relations between Germany and China at the societal and cultural levels, and the features of involvement of various social groups in people’s diplomacy.
The author of the MA theses has set and resolved the following research tasks.
1. Sociological analyses of the Confucius Institute (CI) and Goethe Institute (GI) as special form of channels for communication through which so-called soft power operates.
2. Comparative studying of the both institutions in terms of their organizational structure, social functions, and contribution to the development of cultural ties between Germany and China.
3. Identification of characteristics of social groups that are involved in the implementation of educational and other functions within the framework of cultural diplomacy. These groups are managers, teachers, and students, as well as university members, NGO members and other representatives of the civil society, media workers.
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The objects of the study are two institutions working in the field of cultural diplomacy and involved in relations between Germany and China, they are the Confucius Institute and the Goethe Institute.
The Confucius Institute is a Chinese language learning platform, it is also a mechanism for outside world understanding China and eliminate misunderstanding China’s peaceful rise. The Goethe Institute is an educational institution dedicates to the communication and multilateral culture and reshape German image in international stage.
The focus of research is social groups, which involved in activities of the both institutions, including managers, teachers, students and others. Who are them from the point of view of their social status and social functions? What social values they share and distribute? How they manage cultural exchanges? What kinds of students participate actively in cultural activities? And how teachers explain soft skills?
The author of the thesis put forward and proved the following hypothesis: despite the fact that both institutes have the same formal goal: teach language abroad, in reality they have broader goals and serve not only an educational function, but are specific tools of force in frameworks of people (cultural) diplomacy and at the same time channels for spreading political and ideological values, as well as latent influence in the sense of soft power. Like any other forms of diplomacy and also they are elements of inter-state cooperation and confrontation. In this account, the social groups involved in the work of institutions perform not only educational tasks (to teach and learn), but also become kinds of tools/channels/means/instruments for communication and diplomacy, economic and political influence.
As methodology of the research the author selected the soft power theory and intercultural competence theory. Method of expert semi-structured interview has been applied as empirical instrument.

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Soft power concept has been operationalized for analyze educational and cultural resources used as instruments of states in international relations and communications. Rethinking cultural diplomacy in J. Nye’s concept of soft power help to understand its social and political impact in cooperation and completive between countries.
According to intercultural competence theory, intercultural competences are series of cognitive, affective, and behavioral skills that result in effective and proper communication with people of other cultures.1 Effective intercultural communication pertains to behaviors that reach the success of the targeted goals of the interaction and all groups involved in the situation. Proper intercultural communication includes behaviors that match the desires of a specific culture, the characters of the situation, and the extent of the relationship between groups involved in the situation.2
Intercultural researchers mainly talk about the study of intercultural accommodation or cross-cultural communication ability, but few pay attention on the influence of intercultural competence. However, some of the latest results show that transmitting ability of intercultural competence is the basis and premise of cultural communication which is conducted by international institution like the Confucius Institute and the Goethe Institute. And transmitting impact is the result and reflection of intercultural competence.3
Generally, the stronger transmitting ability, the greater the transmitting influences. Ward and Furnham proposed the famous “ABC” theory of intercultural competence. “A” refers to affective, “B” refers to behavior, and “C” refers to recognition.4 Through some research, demonstrating that almost all the theoretical models of intercultural competence contain five elements, which are motivation, knowledge,
1 Messner, W. and Schäfer, N. (2012) The ICCA Facilitator’s Manual: Intercultural Communication and Collaboration Appraisal. London: GloBus Research, p.41.
2 Alizadeh, S. and Chavan, M. (2016) Cultural competence dimensions and outcomes: a systematic review of the literature. Health & Social Care In The Community.
3 An, R. (2016) Research on the Influence of Confucius Institute on Intercultural Communication, China Social Sciences Press.
4 War, C., Bochmer, S. & Furnham, A. (2001) The Psychology of Culture Shock (2nd ed.), London Routledge.

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skills, situation, and result. The more a model can put these five elements into its background of continuous development, the more advanced this model is. This is the five-element theory of cross-cultural competence.
In accordance with this theory, the author clarified in his empirical research the characteristics of social groups involved in cultural exchange in terms of motivation, knowledge, skills, situation, and result. This ensures the unity of both research methods.
Scientific novelty of the research consists, first, in the fact that the author focused on the social basis of the studied educational institutions, namely, the groups of people involved in their work, second, a sociological method was applied.
Theoretical and applied results of research
The research results consist in creating a theoretical model that contributes to the scientific understanding of cultural diplomacy. Moreover, the comprehensive knowledge about Chinese and German educational institutions could contribute to the thinking on different educational strategies for different target groups and organizations. Based on the research, practical recommendations addressed to the Confucius Institute has been formulated, similar recommendations can be prepared for the Goethe Institute. The author applied some results of research herself working as intern in communication management in an NGO in Hamburg. Main function was to establish and to maintain three-lateral communication between NGO, local Confucius Institute, and also partners in China, including Shanghai’s NGOs and business structures.
This research consists of introduction, three chapters and general conclusions.
The first chapter develops theoretical foundations of the study. Cultural diplomacy is considered as an object of sociological research. The author operationalizes the concept

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of soft power for studying of cultural diplomacy and describes cultural diplomacy as a specific social institution formed at the intersection of diplomacy and culture. The chapter reveals the functions of educational institutions in relations between countries.
Second chapter compares Confucius Institutes and Goethe Institutes as social entities in terms of their organizational structure, social functions, missions and contribution to the development of cultural ties between Germany and China. This chapter identifies several social and professional groups that support or participate in these institutes. Other social groups are involved in the activities of institutes, considering them as channels for achieving their public and private goals. This chapter also investigates similarities and diversities of soft resources of China and Germany and how these cultural resources would help a country drawing its international attractiveness.
The third chapter contains results of empirical studies by the method of expert semi-structured interview. The author clarified characteristics of social groups involved in cultural exchange in terms of motivation, knowledge, skills, situation, and result. It was assumed that more interviews would be conducted; but unfortunately, events related to the virus did not allow us to implement the plan in full.