Policy Impacts of the Department of Defense Office of Net Assessment on Sino-U.S. Soft Power Competition in Africa

Year 2024, Volume: 6 Issue: 1, 38 - 66, 01.05.2024

Matteo Garofalo

https://doi.org/10.53451/ijps.1329448

Abstract

The Strategic Consequences of Chinese Racism is a book-length academic research article commissioned by Andrew Marshal, director of the Department of Defense Office of Net Assessment (ONA). Owing to the significant policymaking power of ONA, Strategic Consequences indicates potential soft-power tactics in use by the Pentagon in countering Chinese influence in Africa. This paper examines Strategic Consequences’ three key arguments. This paper examines the argument that Chinese society is more racist than U.S. society and finds this argument is likely correct. This paper examines the argument that Chinese racism is a stabilizing force for the Chinese government and finds this argument is likely correct. Finally, this paper examines the argument that U.S. anti-racist culture acts as a useful tool of soft-power influence in Africa, and finds this argument is likely incorrect. This paper concludes that ONA has accurately gauged the strategic value of Chinese racism for the Chinese government but overestimates the U.S. capacity to counter China in the field of soft power competition.

Keywords

Afrika, Irkçılık karşıtlığı, Çin, Grup içi tercih, Irkçılık, Yumuşak güç rekabeti, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri

Policy Impacts of the Department of Defense Office of Net Assessment on Sino-U.S. Soft Power Competition in Africa

Abstract

The Strategic Consequences of Chinese Racism: A Strategic Asymmetry for the United States is a book-length academic research article written by Dr. Bradley Thayer and commissioned by Andrew Marshal, director of the Department of Defense Office of Net Assessment (ONA). Owing to both the significant policymaking power of the ONA, as well as the unique topic of the article, it is the belief of this author that Strategic Consequences is in need of examination by the international community. This paper is the first known academic investigation of Strategic Consequences and seeks to provide a critical lens of analysis. This paper examines the three most significant arguments made by Thayer and cross-examines them against existing datasets and literature to determine their relative degree of veracity. First, this paper examines Thayer’s argument that Chinese society is more racist than U.S. society, and finds that this argument is likely correct. Second, this paper examines Thayer’s argument that Chinese racism acts as a stabilizing force for the Chinese government, and finds that this argument is also likely correct. Finally, this paper examines Thayer’s argument that U.S. anti-racist culture acts as a useful tool of soft-power influence in Africa, and finds that this argument is likely incorrect.

Keywords

Africa, Anti-racism, China, In-group preference, Racism, Soft power competition, United States

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