Soft Tool Research Articles

China’s ‘Stadium Diplomacy’ in West Asia and North Africa: Soft-power Tool for Political and Economic Influence

China’s ‘Stadium Diplomacy’ in West Asia and North Africa (WANA) is a soft power strategy used to increase its regional political and economic influence. This strategy is part of a broader trend in which China increasingly uses soft power tools to project its global influence. Chinese companies are involved in building and funding large-scale sports facilities and stadiums used as venues for major international sports events. By investing in sports infrastructure, China can project an image of economic and technological prowess and gain access to raw materials, mineral resources, and markets while fostering closer diplomatic ties with countries in the region. Nevertheless, there are also concerns that China’s soft power efforts are being used to mask more strategic and geopolitical goals. While stadium diplomacy can be an effective soft power tool for building economic relationships and increasing influence, it must also be scrutinised and understood in the context of China’s broader strategic goals and interests.

The emergence of Qatar's diplomacy in a complex world: Balancing soft power in regional affairs

AbstractThis article examines the key aspects that contribute to Qatar's influence and soft power and investigates how Qatar strategically utilizes culture, economics, sports diplomacy, and media influence to shape perceptions of Qatar. A focal point of Qatar's soft power tool is Al Jazeera, which serves not only as a media giant but also as a dynamic force to amplify Qatar's influence. The article focuses on the resonance of Qatar's cultural initiatives, tourism sector, and sports and how these elements together contribute to soft power. Against the backdrop of regional challenges, Qatar's strategic posture emerges as a resilient force that positions the country as a key player in shaping regional dynamics.

Conceptualizing Parliamentary Diplomacy

Aim. The article reveals the conceptual foundations of parliamentary diplomacy.Methods. In order to fulfill the purpose, the author drew upon theoretical methodology namely modelling, chronological, comparative, complementary and parallel approaches.Results. The phases of development of parliamentary diplomacy are outlined. The theoretical model (institutional design) of parliamentary diplomacy is designed. The features of the international activities of representative authorities are outlined.Conclusions. First, the geopolitical processes of the second half of the 20th century have caused parliamentary diplomacy to transform into double legitimate diplomacy, a new form of soft power tool and independent holistic concept. Second, parliamentary diplomacy has acquired a complex body (model), including various dimensions, levels of institutionalization, tools, forms and formats of cooperation. Third, although parliamentary diplomacy has a number of advantages over cabinet diplomacy (greater flexibility, informality and less bias), the other side of its institutional features (reduced powers, limited resources and ideological colouring) may have a negative impact on applied outcomes.

Assessing key soft skills in organizational contexts: development and validation of the multiple soft skills assessment tool

Assessing key soft skills in organizational contexts: development and validation of the multiple soft skills assessment tool

Inferring ancestry with the hierarchical soft clustering approach tangleGen.

Understanding the genetic ancestry of populations is central to numerous scientific and societal fields. It contributes to a better understanding of human evolutionary history, advances personalized medicine, aids in forensic identification, and allows individuals to connect to their genealogical roots. Existing methods, such as ADMIXTURE, have significantly improved our ability to infer ancestries. However, these methods typically work with a fixed number of independent ancestral populations. As a result, they provide insight into genetic admixture, but do not include a hierarchical interpretation. In particular, the intricate ancestral population structures remain difficult to unravel. Alternative methods with a consistent inheritance structure, such as hierarchical clustering, may offer benefits in terms of interpreting the inferred ancestries. Here, we present tangleGen, a soft clustering tool that transfers the hierarchical machine learning framework Tangles, which leverages graph theoretical concepts, to the field of population genetics. The hierarchical perspective of tangleGen on the composition and structure of populations improves the interpretability of the inferred ancestral relationships. Moreover, tangleGen adds a new layer of explainability, as it allows identifying the SNPs that are responsible for the clustering structure. We demonstrate the capabilities and benefits of tangleGen for the inference of ancestral relationships, using both simulated data and data from the 1000 Genomes Project.

The invisible hand of Doctor Zhivago: reception of a soft power tool

ABSTRACT In the tumultuous era of the Cold War, Boris Pasternak's novel Doctor Zhivago found itself at the epicenter of an ideological battle. When the Soviet authorities deemed it an ‘evil libel against the USSR’ and prohibited its publication, the CIA recognized its ‘great propaganda value’ and spearheaded its dissemination in foreign editions, harnessing the novel as a potent soft power tool. Through an interdisciplinary approach, this paper analyzes the influence of a reverse kind of cultural diplomacy related to the translation, diffusion, and promotion of Doctor Zhivago in the West. Drawing from paratextual material in the form of press reviews in Italian, French, English and Dutch from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives, it assesses how the sense of confidence, attraction and prestige as pillars of soft power strategies are reflected in the reception of the novel’s translations. The study concludes by offering a nuanced understanding of how the large-scale diffusion of the novel was perceived, highlighting that the translations played a secondary role in the strategy and served as vehicles to amplify the impact of Pasternak’s Nobel Prize, thereby extending its influence globally.

THE TURNING POINT OF THE FOREIGN POLICY OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKIYE: TURNING EAST

In the late twentieth century, after the end of the Cold War, the world underwent a significant transformation, leading to a multipolar system. This shift was characterized by the rise of various regional powers seeking to play a prominent role in global politics. The Republic of Turkiye, in particular, has been actively seeking to assert its position in the contemporary international order. This article examines the complexities of Turkish foreign policy, analyzing its legal framework, current aspects, priorities, and strategic approaches. Additionally, it explores the shift in Turkish foreign policy towards Eastern regions, away from its historical dependence on the West and towards the concept of "Turkish World", particularly in relation to Turkic-speaking countries in Central Asia and the Caucasus. In addition, the paper provides theoretical insights into the impact of foreign policy and diplomacy on various stakeholders, as well as the potential of soft power tools in the pursuit of foreign policy goals.

Development of Soft Computing-based Predictive Tools for Estimating the Young Modulus of Weak Rocks

The deformation characteristics of rocks are of vital importance in addressing most geomechanical issues as they are one of the most critical input parameters in rock engineering analyses. For this reason, robust forecasting models are required when analysing the stability of tunnels, slopes, mine galleries, and other underground excavations. In this research, novel predictive models are proposed to estimate the tangential Young modulus (Eti) of weak rocks. To achieve this, an extensive literature review is performed to obtain a comprehensive database including critical physico-mechanical properties of various weak rocks. Thanks to the advantages of soft computing methods such as genetic algorithm (GA), adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), artificial neural networks (ANN) and multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS), novel predictive models are established. The effectiveness of the developed predictive models is investigated using various statistical measures and it is concluded that empirical models utilizing ANN and ANFIS methodologies are the most effective tools for estimating the Eti of weak rocks. In addition, a practical design chart is also developed for assessing the Eti of weak rocks.

Collection of microrobots for gentle cell manipulation.

Optically actuated soft microrobotic tools were designed for cell transportation, manipulation, and cell-to-cell interactions.

Turkish Airlines: facilitating Türkiye's soft power in Africa

ABSTRACT Türkiye, a re-emerging non-Western power, has intensified its relationship with Africa by strategically integrating soft power elements into its foreign policy. Unlike other actors, Türkiye assigned a special role to its national carrier, Turkish Airlines, in this endeavour. This article assesses Turkish Airlines’ role as Türkiye’s soft power actor in Africa, primarily as a facilitator and connectivity agent. It explores Türkiye’s deployment of soft power tools and instruments to expand relations with Benin, Mauritania and Somalia, countries with recent significant increases in trade with Türkiye. We argue that Turkish Airlines’ involvement as a soft power actor and facilitator of connectivity in these countries has significantly enhanced the effectiveness of various actors, contributing to achieving Türkiye's regional goals. As such, it serves to confirm and enrich soft power theory.

Prioritisation of indicators in SDG 4: Voluntary national reviews as a tool of soft governance

Voluntary national reviews (VNRs) are an important component of the follow-up and review process for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Presented by countries at the annual United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), VNRs detail a country’s self-reported progress to peers. This voluntary process has been criticised for its weak accountability. Global governance literature, however, points to an increase in these “soft” governance mechanisms as well as the potential strategic benefits of this approach. Using a mix of logistic regression and document analysis, this study examined VNRs as a soft governance tool and a reflection of the governance mechanism of the SDGs. The authors examined the scope and content of VNR submissions from 2016 to 2022, with a deeper review of 2022, which focused on the global goal for education (SDG 4). Three types of soft governance – governing by goal-setting, by numbers and by morality – were used as lenses to make sense of the results. The authors’ findings demonstrate the ability of soft governance tools to bring together diverse actors around a broad set of goals, and how the power of numbers can influence which indicators countries report on in their VNR.

The Evolution of TİKA: A Case Study in Turkish Soft Power Projection

This article examines the development of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) as a case study in Türkiye’s soft power projection. As an important instrument of Türkiye’s foreign policy, TİKA plays a critical role in promoting cooperation, development and cultural exchange with partner countries around the world. Through a historical analysis of TİKA’s establishment, mandate and early initiatives, this study provides insights into its evolving role within Türkiye’s diplomatic apparatus. By examining the expansion of TİKA’s activities, shifts in focus areas and strategic priorities over time, this paper assesses TİKA’s impact on promoting Türkiye’s interests and strengthening Türkiye’s image abroad. In this framework, TİKA contributes to Türkiye’s humanitarian diplomacy objectives as a soft power tool.

Efficient Modeling of Single Event Transient Effect with Limited Peak Current: Implications for Logic Circuits.

The problem that the conventional double-exponential transient current model (DE model) can overdrive the circuit, which leads to the overestimation of the soft error rate of the logic cell, is solved. Our work uses a new and accurate model for predicting the soft error rate that brings the soft error rate closer to the actual. The piecewise double-exponential transient current model (PDE model) is chosen, and the accuracy of the model is reflected using the Layout Awareness Single Event Multi Transients Soft Error Rate Calculation tool (LA-SEMT-SER tool). The model can characterize transient current pulses piecewise and limit the peak current magnitude to not exceed the conduction current. TCAD models are constructed from 28 nm process library and cell layouts. The transfer characteristic curves of devices are calibrated, and functional timing verification is performed to ensure the accuracy of the TCAD model. The experimental results show that the PDE model is not only more consistent with TCAD simulation than the DE model in modeling the single event transient currents of the device, but also that the SER calculated by the LA-SEMT-SER tool based on the PDE model has a smaller error than the SER calculated by the LA-SEMT-SER tool based on the DE model.

Optically Actuated Soft Microrobot Family for Single-Cell Manipulation.

Precisely controlled manipulation of nonadherent single cells is often a pre-requisite for their detailed investigation. Optical trapping provides a versatile means for positioning cells with submicrometer precision or measuring forces with femto-Newton resolution. A variant of the technique, called indirect optical trapping, enables single-cell manipulation with no photodamage and superior spatial control and stability by relying on optically trapped microtools biochemically bound to the cell. High-resolution 3D lithography enables to prepare such cell manipulators with any predefined shape, greatly extending the number of achievable manipulation tasks. Here, it is presented for the first time a novel family of cell manipulators that are deformable by optical tweezers and rely on their elasticity to hold cells. This provides a more straightforward approach to indirect optical trapping by avoiding biochemical functionalization for cell attachment, and consequently by enabling the manipulated cells to be released at any time. Using the photoresist Ormocomp, the deformations achievable with optical forces in the tens of pN range and present three modes of single-cell manipulation as examples to showcase the possible applications such soft microrobotic tools can offer are characterized. The applications describe here include cell collection, 3D cell imaging, and spatially and temporally controlled cell-cell interaction.

Integration of soft tooling by additive manufacturing in polymer profile extrusion process chain

Integrating additive manufacturing (AM) into polymer extrusion offers process chain flexibility and design freedom. It reduces the need for time-consuming iterations and trial-and-error in the die design process. Consequently, polymer AM of extrusion (i.e., soft tooling) allows for a shorter product development cycle and cost-effectiveness for small-scale production and highly customized products. In this study, carbon fibre (CF)-polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) dies were manufactured using the fused filament fabrication (FFF) AM process, employing a streamlined die design achieved through freeform transition planes. Calibration slides were produced using masked stereolithography (MSLA), FFF, and conventional manufacturing techniques (i.e., machining) to preserve the final product’s cross-section during the cooling process. The dimensional and surface characteristics of these calibration slides were evaluated to assess the dimensional accuracy and surface topography of various materials and manufacturing processes. The dimensional evaluation reveals that MSLA-printed parts exhibit deviation from the nominal dimension closer to the conventionally manufactured part. The integrated soft tooling in the polymer extrusion line was tested with polypropylene (PP) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) as extruded materials. The surface topography of the CF-PEEK die displays distinctive ripple features resulting from the FFF process, identified by relatively flat peaks and deep valleys. The overall surface texture parameter values of CF-PEEK were higher due to the presence of deep valleys. Considering that the areas around the peaks interacted more with polymer molecules during the extrusion, the surface texture parameters of the extrudates were closer to the value observed in 90 µm region areas around the peaks. Notably, extrudates of AM calibration slides have lower surface texture parameters than extrudates of conventionally manufactured calibration slides, even though surface defects in the form of dimple sink marks were observed in extruded material of PP from extrudates using AM calibration slides.

From Formulation to Application: Effects of Plasticizer on the Printability of Fluoro Elastomer Compounds and Additive Manufacturing of Specialized Seals.

This work investigated material extrusion additive manufacturing (MatEx AM) of specialized fluoroelastomer (FKM) compounds for applications in rubber seals and gaskets. The influence of a commercially available perfluoropolyether (PFPE) plasticizer on the printability of a control FKM rubber compound was studied using a custom-designed ram material extruder, Additive Ram Material Extruder (ARME), for printing fully compounded thermoset elastomers. The plasticizer's effectiveness was assessed based on its ability to address challenges such as high compound viscosity and post-print shrinkage, as well as its impact on interlayer adhesion. The addition of the PFPE plasticizer significantly reduced the FKM compound's viscosity (by 70%) and post-print shrinkage (by 65%). While the addition of the plasticizer decreased the tensile strength of the control compound, specimens printed with the plasticized FKM retained 34% of the tensile strength of compression-molded samples, compared to only 23% for the unplasticized compound. Finally, the feasibility of seals and gaskets manufacturing using both conventional and unconventional additive manufacturing (AM) approaches was explored. A hybrid method combining AM and soft tooling for compression molding emerged as the optimal method for seal and gasket fabrication.

High-efficiency green machining of single crystal 4H–SiC based on tribo-oxidation

High efficiency, high quality and green machining of single crystal silicon carbide (SiC) is an important issue in the third-generation semiconductor industry. In this paper, a novel machining method for single crystal SiC based on tribo-oxidation is proposed. The formula and preparation process of polysaccharide bonded soft abrasive tool were designed. Dry machining of C-face of 4H–SiC substrate was carried out with the prepared environmentally friendly abrasive tool sample. The material removal mechanism of the proposed machining method was preliminarily analyzed, and the material removal rate, surface roughness and subsurface residual stress were studied. The experimental results show that the maximum material removal rate of 4H–SiC can reach 1.03 μm/min with a corresponding average surface roughness of Sa 0.816 nm. The machined surface has no brittle flaw, and subsurface residual compressive stress exists with a maximum value of 58.9 MPa. The material removal mainly attributed to the active oxidation of SiC surface induced by the friction between alumina abrasives and SiC substrate. The proposed machining method has potential application value in thinning of SiC wafers.

The Translational Force of Words: The Journey of “Come” and “Go” into Arabic

This study delves into the translational challenges Arabic translators face in preserving the dynamism and multifaceted meanings of ‘come’ and ‘go’ phrasal verbs during translation using machine tools. Though existing literature has focused on linguistic and cultural equivalence, the ‘translational force’ of specific words is still under-researched. The aim of this study is to verify the accuracy of the output across tools, and to conclude how effective these applications were in the given language pair. The study adopts a mixed methods approach with a survey used to identify the most frequently used machine tools for translation by 27 learners of Translation Studies at Shaqra University, Saudi Arabia. Thereafter, a set of frequently used phrasal verbs in English that use the root verbs ‘come’ and ‘go’ were translated by a convenience sample of 27 final year students of translation as well as by using the popular and free translation tools in the English-Arabic language pair. Results indicated that Saudi students enrolled in translation studies used MateCAT, Google Translate, Reverso to a limited extent, but relied more on online dictionaries for translation to and from English. In addition to this, translation of English phrasal verbs was found to be most accurate in MateCat and there too, accuracy in back translation was found to be more accurate in the case of the phrasal verbs formed with ‘come’ at the root than with ‘go’ verb. Finally, it was found that the translation students preferred ‘soft tools’ like English movies for learning, recall, and use of English phrasal verbs in practice. This study is expected to provide a deeper understanding of the concept of "translational force" and its implications for translating dynamic words in the English-Arabic language pair in the realm of machine-based translation tools.

The rise of digital platforms as a soft power apparatus in the New Korean Wave era

By employing digital soft power as a theoretical framework, this article examines the increasing role of domestic digital platforms in the New Korean Wave and their contributions to cultural diplomacy. It discusses the ways in which digital soft power becomes the primary vehicle in cultural diplomacy related to the Korean Wave. As there are tensions and conflicts between these private platforms and the Korean government, this article critically analyzes the crucial relations between these two major parties in executing cultural diplomacy and digital soft power. As its methodological framework, the utilization of social media by the Korean government, particularly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was used. It selects the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Facebook posts between 1 January and 31 December of 2022 to determine the ways in which the Korean government utilizes social media as a soft power tool. It develops discourse analysis in tandem with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Facebook posts to determine several major strategies the Korean government has advanced in the digital platform era.

BRICS as a Catalyst for Global Governance Transformation: Beyond Western Perceptions

Scholarship on global political economy and global peace and security governance often depicts BRICS members as emerging powers with relatively limited experience in international leadership. These depictions underscore their contested regional leadership and ambiguous institutional, political, ideological, and socio-economic capacities to influence and reshape the global governance system. However, this article challenges some of these characterizations of BRICS members as inaccurate and rooted in Western exceptionalism. Employing a qualitative secondary research approach, it aims to analyze the role of BRICS as a new model for global governance by examining key institutional and political initiatives undertaken by the bloc, as well as by each of its member states.The analysis reveals that institutional initiatives such as the New Development Bank (NDB) demonstrate the BRICS’ capacity to deploy a combination of hard and soft power tools, thereby contributing to the emergence of multipolarity in the global governance architecture. These initiatives have exposed the world's developing regions to new experiences, resources, and understandings of the priorities of emerging powers. Furthermore, political responses to crises, such as turmoil in Zimbabwe, Libya, and Mali, as well as nuclear issues in Iran, where BRICS members have assumed mediatory, supportive, or leading roles, have sparked renewed interest in understanding BRICS as an alternative to traditional conceptions of global peace and security governance. Significantly, BRICS’ soft power diplomacy plays a pivotal role in projecting the bloc as an advocate of alternative global governance architecture and in dispelling negative perceptions. This objective is achieved through the BRICS’ transformative agenda, which offers alternative pathways for attaining international public goods in developing regions with shared historical and ideological affinities.