November 3

“You can have multiple tweets.”

-- James Fowler, professor at UC San Diego and co-author along with Nicholas A. Christakis of Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives; image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Clinton tries to calm Arab anger over settlements - Andrew Quinn, Christian Lowe, Reuters, Swissinfo: "Israel's offer to show restraint on settlements falls short of U.S. expectations, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Monday in an effort to counter Arab accusations she had been too soft on Israel. ... A State Department spokesman said Clinton had tried to explain to the Arab officials on Monday what Israel had put on the table, and to calm the situation down. 'We obviously were very conscious of the reaction to her appearance in Jerusalem,' the spokesman said of Clinton's efforts with Arab leaders. 'I would call it public diplomacy.'"

The Original Power Couple Emerges Again With Hillary on Top... - Phil Bronstein, Huffington Post: "Hillary ... has become a fire-breathing, in-their-face lioness. She's sharp, tireless and blunt. While local pols in DC were trembling even at the idea of rowdy Town Hall meetings, she dove directly into them...in Pakistan, where they eat tea baggers and US officials for lunch. She seems to relish the clash of ideas and told already angry Pakistanis that their government wasn't doing its part in the war. [Comment by reader klondiker:] Admittedly, the Pakistan trip has done wonders for Hillary's profile. I have relatives in Pakistan, and they were stunned that a US Secretary of State was appearing on popular Pakistani TV shows and answering unscripted questions. It's really quite a landmark - I don't think any other SoS has done this level of public diplomacy. Certainly not Condi.

And, I think that's part of the reason why Hillary was chosen for this role. Can you imagine Kerry or Biden doing this kind of thing? They're both great, but I really can't see either of them holding their own in a rowdy Pakistani townhall." Image from

J-1 Programs - Why Companies Host - Melany Hamner, ILW.com: "The U.S. Department of State and J-1 sponsors are deeply invested in J-1 exchange programs due to the far-reaching diplomatic effects of large-scale cultural and educational exchange. As a result, exchange programs - specifically J-1 trainee and intern programs - have been and continue to be well-funded and fervently promoted by both entities. ... Host companies do not operate exchange programs with the intent of supporting U.S. diplomatic efforts; companies host programs with the objective of adding value to the company. Regardless of intent, host companies play an integral role in public diplomacy by enabling cultural exchange at office meetings, company picnics, and even at the water cooler. In addition, J-1 programs benefit from the oversight of a J-1 sponsor, ensuring that cross-cultural activities are taking place and that each program is compliant with J-1 regulations."

Reader Response: Donna Oglesby – Intermap: "Donna Oglesby, a veteran Foreign Service Officer (USIA) and Diplomat in Residence at Eckerd College, had this to say about 'Public Diplomacy Debate Reflects Bigger IR Questions': ... The hard slogging grassroots work at the nexus of foreign policy, public opinion, and politics abroad is the mission of public diplomacy.

Is it separate and apart from the political function of statecraft? Not any longer. Does it matter whether those performing this political function abroad wear combat boots or wingtips? Yes, I think it does because of the projection of values, added costs and potential friction created when the policy intent is political contestation and the actor is military." Image from

Q & A with James Fowler - idiplomacy.org: "James Fowler, professor at UC San Diego and co-author along with Nicholas A. Christakis of Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives, will be one of the presenters at iDiplomacy. Among the theories Fowler and Christakis posit in Connected is that you can influence people up to three degrees – such as your friend’s friend’s friend – who you might not even have met. For example, one of their studies found that obesity is contagious – a multicentric epidemic. I spoke with Fowler on the phone last week about technology, social media and public diplomacy. (The interview has been condensed and edited.) ... Q: What are some of the potential downsides to technology and its effect on public diplomacy? A: I think it depends on what kind of message you want to get across. The upside is that when you increase your contacts between people of different countries I think you increase mutual trust. But the message that comes from the people of a country might be at odds with the message that the government is trying to promote."

Globcal is making Social Networking Worthwhile - globcal.blogspot.com: "Globcal International is a non-profit cooperative made up of individual social network experts, platform developers, event organizers, motivational speakers, foreign-affairs students, qualified as citizen diplomats located in countries all over the world that are all connected via social media platforms. The cooperative charter they developed is recognized in 87 countries.

Each program cooperator is an independent agent trained in social network ethics, public diplomacy 2.0 (sometimes called Facebook diplomacy or Twitter diplomacy) as ambassadors or social network protagonists their presence is seen on networks like Facebook, LinkedIn, ecademy, InterNations, XING where they effect public policy by stimulating social reform and change by maximizing social networking potential through promoting particular themes, ideals, and genres to create and assimilate an understood global world-view." Image from

Salvador, Romero & Subcommandante Marcos; Antaeus Trial – Paul Rockower, Levantine: "Synopsis from last week to get this week started. Last tuesday I had to lead a discussion in my PubD Lat Am class. I co-facilitated the class with my classmate Regina on nonstate actors in Latin America in a public diplomacy context. ... We compared the case studies of Nicaragua and El Salvador in the public diplomacy context of the Central American peace movement.... We also looked at the environmental movement, especially in Brazil and the Amazon. ... [W]e focused on how the Amazon rubber tappers were able to frame the debate not on the trees but the communities that were affected by deforestation. Good pd gives faces to issues. We then looked at the Zapatistas as the first post-modern rebellion waged as a public diplomacy information war. ... Thursday I had my PubD Africa class, and we discussed the role of UN peacekeeping vs. peacemaking in Africa, and the ongoing pursuits of the AU as an organization and subregional orgs."

Scholar, Student, or Academic: words shape perceptions - Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner.us: "[T]he Association of Public Diplomacy Scholars ... is comprised of students pursuing a Masters in Public Diplomacy from the University of Southern California (and I believe other universities but USC's APDS chapter is the most active). ... The APDS use of 'scholar'

denotes not a level of attainment but a condition or status. ... Is 'scholar' the best word? Perhaps not, but then on a broader level beyond the students, 'public diplomacy' is a worse choice...." Image from

Interested in writing a review for a book on public diplomacy? – Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner.us: "Routledge is seeking reviewers for a public diplomacy edited by Phil Taylor and Nancy Snow. The Routledge Handbook of Public Diplomacy."

Cool Resources - CC471 - Public Diplomacy: This blog is created as a common platform for the students enrolled in CC471 - Public Diplomacy course in Emerson College during Fall 2009 Semester. "Hey guys! After listening to your ideas this past week, I thought of some resources that might be useful to some of you for initiating your public diplomacy projects."

U.S. Department of State Hometown Diplomat Presentation - UW EE Advising: "Interested in a career with great benefits? How about a career where you can play a role in making the world safer; improve human rights, narcotics control, trade, and environmental issues; and open up economic opportunities for Americans? Then consider a career in Civil Service or Foreign Service with the U.S. Department of State!

Dean Olsen, a Washington native and UW alumnus who recently earned a Master's Degree in Policy Studies from UW-Bothell and now works as a Social Science Analyst for the State Department's Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, will be visiting with UW students as part of the Hometown Diplomat Program." Image from

Skydiving – Kimberly, Suzhettes...tales of a wandering Mormon: "Some of the people from public diplomacy are going skydiving next Saturday."

RELATED ITEMS

Al-Qaeda passport Pakistan's propaganda ploy? - ww4report.com: 9-11 suspect Said Bahaji, whose German passport was reportedly found by Pakistani military forces in a mud hut in Sherwangai village, South Waziristan Oct. 25 has not been in touch with his family for two years, his mother told the New York Times by telephone. The passport was supposedly found just as US Secretary of State Hillar Clinton arrived in Pakistan to publicly berate the regime for protecting al-Qaeda. In another example of the US exploiting Sufis for propaganda purposes, TV footage also showed Clinton praying at the shrine of Muslim saint Bari Shah Latif in Islamabad, following a last-minute schedule swap with a similar monument in Lahore.

Afghanistan: Now what? After the election mess, Obama has little choice but to work with President Hamid Karzai's weakened government – Editorial, latimes.com. Below image from

President Karzai’s Second Term - Editorial, New York Times: President Karzai needs to work with the Americans to come up with a strategy to try to woo midlevel Taliban leaders in from the cold. The two governments need to quickly develop a plan to accelerate training of the Afghan security forces. Mr. Karzai and the Obama administration don’t have much time to get this right. The Taliban’s military strength is growing by the day. Americans’ appetite for the Afghan war is evaporating nearly as quickly.

Obama doctrine 'coup'- Frank J. Gaffney Jr., Washington Times: Undermine our allies. Embolden our enemies. Diminish our country. If anyone doubted those nine words summed up the Obama Doctrine, look at what the president's team perpetrated last week in Honduras.

ONLY IN RUSSIA?

A fork lift driver in Moscow was sampling too much of his own product when he drunkenly plowed his vehicle into the stock shelves of vodka and cognac in the storeroom where he worked. The result was a spectacular crash in which $150,000 worth of liquor rained down around him.

Amazingly, he escaped with nothing but a leg injury. We doubt he can say the same for his job. Includes video. Image from; via JM