Shaping Chinas Global Imagination: Branding Nations at the World Expo [Hardcover]

A comprehensive discussion of how countries embrace branding as a crucial element in their pursuit of soft power and why certain nation-branding efforts succeed while others fail through the example of the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai.Contents Illustrations Preface 1. Soft Power, Nation Branding, and the World Expo 2. Branding Nations 3. The Shanghai Expo as a Site for Nation Branding 4. Defining Nation Brands 5. Communicating Nation Brands 6. Experiencing Nation Brands 7. Remembering Nation Brands 8. Nation Branding as Strategic Narrative 9. Nation Branding: Perspectives, Practices, and Prospects Coda Notes

Wang's writing style is analytically clear and engaging, and raises a certain curiosity in the subject itself. The book combines three issues that are of great interest: China's rise and role in international politics; our perceptions of China; and the role of nation branding (in this book through the prism of the Shanghai Expo). The advantage of a book like this is that it will not just be relevant for China specialists, but also for IR and communication scholars. The clarity of writing makes it accessible and of use in advanced undergraduate courses. I see no real competition for Shaping China's Global Imagination. ' - Peter Van Ham, Netherlands Institute of International Relations