Cultural Soft Power Empowering Grassroots Political Mobilization

Xiaoyu Hu

doi:10.54254/2754-1169/2025.CAU28472

Advances in Economics, Management and Political SciencesOpen access

Cultural Soft Power Empowering Grassroots Political Mobilization

Research Article

Open Access

Cultural Soft Power Empowering Grassroots Political Mobilization

Xiaoyu Hu ^1*

¹ Hainan University

^*Corresponding author: linruoxing666@163.com

Published on 22 October 2025

AEMPS Vol.231

ISSN (Print): 2754-1177

ISSN (Online): 2754-1169

ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-463-2

ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-464-9

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Abstract

This paper aims to explore the dual effects of cultural soft power on empowering grassroots political mobilization. In the context of globalization, culture, as a core political resource, plays an increasingly prominent role in consolidating social consensus and shaping the political ecology. Focusing on the theme of "cultural soft power empowering grassroots political mobilization", this paper integrates and analyzes existing literature, and discusses the ways in which state and non-state actors use cultural soft power to carry out social mobilization. The research results indicate that although cultural soft power has the potential to empower, in practice, forms dominated by external funds or the state tend to make grassroots political participation formalized and lack autonomy, thus losing their community foundation. This not only fails to inspire large-scale public participation but may also turn empowerment into dependence and integration. Therefore, to achieve real grassroots empowerment, it is necessary to guard against power imbalance and agenda dominance in mobilization, and explore a more open, citizen-driven mobilization model that meets local needs.

Keywords:

Cultural Soft Power, Grassroots Politics, Political Mobilization, Grassroots Autonomy, Community Foundation.

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