"SOFT POWER" AS A TOOL FOR FORMING THE IMAGE OF A SUBJECT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
The relevance of the topic of this article is due to the fact that more and more attention is being paid to the possibility of using “soft power” in foreign policy in the face of increasing fierce competition, globalization and dynamic changes in society. The purpose of this article is to analyze the features of “soft power” tools in order to form the image of a subject of international relations. In order to achieve this goal the author sets the tasks, such as the operationalization of approaches to the interpretation of the concept of “state image”, the study of key tools of “soft power”, the identification of the most promising and effective methods of forming a positive state image. In the process of solving the tasks set, the author relies on modern researches by Western and domestic authors, actively applying systemic, institutional, structural-functional and communicative approaches. The author concludes that promoting the country's cultural and humanitarian image may become a key aspect of the country's success in the international arena, and the use of the national branding mechanism and constant monitoring of the current state of the image can play an important role in this process. It is also important to emphasize that Russia has made significant strides in the practical application of soft power and public diplomacy technologies.