Telling the EU’s Story by Others

The European Union created the Jean Monnet Programme to promote excellence in teaching and research. The educational program is also an extension of the EU’s public diplomacy or soft power because it aims to foster dialogue between the academic world and policy makers. Three Chinese universities are recipients of “Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence” funding by the EU. Yang (East China Normal Univ.) examines the impact of the educational exchanges on Chinese scholars and students. The author gathered data about the descriptive knowledge regarding EU institutions and policy. His findings suggest that Chinese universities with EU funding disseminate information about the EU and encourage a positive image of the EU to students and future generations. He finds no evidence that educational exchange programs encourage policy cross-fertility or policy convergence with the EU. Empirical knowledge of the EU has grown, but Chinese policy norms have not been influenced by increased exposure to EU priorities. The author argues that in spite of censorship teachers are free to discuss European values, and that students and academics circumvent Chinese blockage of Western internet sources to access social media sites of EU delegation in China and the EU agencies in Europe.



Summing Up: Recommended. Researchers and faculty.

* Choice Reviews *
“In Telling the EU’s Story by Others, Yifan Yang presents a thorough and thoughtful analysis of the European Union’s public diplomacy outreach to China. This book illustrates the intricacies of building a global EU identity and is a valuable addition to the literature of public diplomacy.” -- Philip Seib, University of Southern California
“Telling the EU’s Story by Others is, to date, the first comprehensive academic study on the impact of the Jean Monnet Programme on Chinese university professors and students. It gives reflection on how an academic program can play a role of public diplomacy.” -- Jing Men, College of Eu