An analytical explanation of

Jabbarinasir, Hasan; Khadem Makhsous Hosseini, Leila

An analytical explanation of "Science Diplomacy as Soft Power"; Case Study: Royan Research Institute

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

hasan Jabbarinasir ¹

Leila Khadem Makhsous Hosseini ²

¹ Assistant Professor of Regional Studies, Institute for Cultural, Social and Civilizational Studies

² Moscow State University of International Relations - MGIMO, Postdoctoral Student

Abstract

In an era marked by intensifying geopolitical competition and the expansion of knowledge-based economies, science diplomacy has emerged as a key mechanism for redefining power in global politics. However, a theoretical gap exists between Joseph Nye’s state-centric conceptualization of “soft power” and Pierre-Bruno Ruffini’s functionalist interpretations of science diplomacy: the role of scientific institutions in systematically generating transnational influence remains underexplored. This article addresses this gap by proposing a causal–processual framework, according to which science diplomacy, through the dynamics of “attractiveness,” “collaboration,” and “impact,” becomes an institutional mechanism for producing and reproducing soft power. Employing a qualitative research design and an explanatory case study approach, the study analyzes directed content from scientific documents and institutional evidence. The case of the Royan Institute demonstrates that scientific capital, by transforming into symbolic capital, fostering structural trust, and consolidating expert authority, can generate normative power. The findings indicate that the production of scientific soft power is not solely derived from formal state policies but emerges from institutional and networked mechanisms. Accordingly, the article advances the literature on science diplomacy from a policy-functional perspective to an institutional–analytical understanding of how scientific soft power is produced.

Keywords

Science diplomacy

soft power

attractiveness

cooperation

influence

Royan Institute

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