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Students Are Strategic 'Soft Power' -- Interview with Plamen Ralchev
Mr Ralchev, how do you see the relationship youth -- SIIGA?
The relationship seems promising. Inspired by students and working for students is the best formula such an organization can have. Of course, SIIGA cannot target youth at large. It would be over-optimistic. Its target should be highly-motivated students eager to make an early career start by networking with like-minded peers and organizations both home and abroad. The sustainability of SIIGA will depend on its ability to establish connectedness between and among young experts and expert communities. Sharing common interests and working together on common projects (to provide the financial sustainability) is the key to success. SIIGA should develop a profile of a professional organization, not a volunteer one. This will keep people committed to the organization and its objectives.
Do you think young people in Bulgaria are given enough opportunities to voice their opinion on current political trends? Why or why not?
Young people in Bulgaria are given many opportunities, much more than those our generation (now in its mid-30s) had. The political spectrum in Bulgaria at present has become quite boring and any new and fresh ideas coming from young people could be easily publicized. Besides, new media have emerged recently, striving to expose “fresh” opinions. This is the chance of young experts now.
What impact could students have in decision making in foreign policy?
In the strict sense, to be honest – none. BUT, students are strategic 'soft power'. If they form interest-based communities, both nationally and internationally, establish contacts among themselves and work together on a variety of occasions, at some point in the future, if they come to foreign policy decision-making position, they would be much more prepared and would do their job much better. Supporting such student networks is in fact investment in future social and political capital. Students and student expert communities and organizations are important actors in the so-called NGO/ third-sector/ citizens' diplomacy. It's a big power students could have.
What challenges do you think SIIGA could encounter and how could they be resolved?
Challenges are usually of administrative and financial nature. Or, in other words – Management of SIIGA. Ideas are great but their realization depends on good management. The primary role of SIIGA Management is to position the organization in the public sphere and develop communication channels with the public, authorities, media, corporate sector and international institutions (as target audience and/or potential contributors to the realization of SIIGA ideas). Developing the student network will be the easiest part. As the organization is a long-term project, it is important to find good answers how it will sustain financially – grants, membership contributions, service fees, paid publications and analyses, etc.
Plamen Ralchev
Plamen Ralchev is Assistant Professor at the Department of International Relations, University of National and World Economy in Sofia where he teaches courses in Foreign Policies of European Countries, Central and East European Politics, and Modern Political History. He holds a Master's degree in International Relations and is a PhD Candidate in Political Science. From 2000 until 2007 he worked as Senior Research Associate at the Institute for Regional and International Studies, Sofia. In 2003 he was a visiting fellow at the East Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington D.C. In 2004/2005 he was a Chevening Scholar at the Department of Sociology at the University of Bristol (UK). In 2008 he established and leads the STRATCOM project focused on research and study of strategic communications, international public relations and public diplomacy.
