"Is not, conceivably, 'soft power' an argument against the very notion of 'public diplomacy'?
--Your PDPBR compiler, in his Notes and Essays; image from
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
Chinese ads aim to soften image in U.S., doubts remain - Jim Young, Reuters: "Seeking to soften its image among Americans, China has paid for a promotional video to appear on six giant screens in New York's Times Square and on CNN, but experts doubt the campaign will change perceptions in the United States. The launch of the one-minute video, which state-run news agency Xinhua called part of a 'public diplomacy campaign,' coincides with President Hu Jintao's state visit to the United States.
It is China's latest effort to bolster its so-called 'soft power' -- exerting influence through culture and lifestyle rather than coercion, experts said. ... China, whose use of soft power began in earnest when it hosted the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, is spending billions of dollars to boost its image abroad including through Confucius Institutes that teach Chinese language and culture, according to Joseph Nye, a Harvard University professor of international relations. Confucius Institutes are located in various places around the world, including in the United States. 'This campaign (the promotional videos) is consistent with their soft power efforts,' Nye said. 'It's useful for them to do, but I don't think it will have a huge effect.'" Image from article, with caption: President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama welcome President of China Hu Jintao for a State Dinner at the White House in Washington, January 19, 2011.
China invades Times Square: Can a PR offensive woo Americans? China has launched a massive "diplomacy campaign" coinciding with President Hu Jintao's Washington visit. But commentators aren't sure the big publicity push will work: "The reaction: 'If the intent is to teach Americans about the Chinese, the campaign falls woefully short,' says Isaac Stone Fish in Newsweek. While 'hardly offensive,' it's 'unlikely' that 60 'boring' seconds of smiling Chinese celebrities will 'inspire Americans to learn Mandarin.'
And the ads have 'a risk of backfiring,' says Gady Epstein in Forbes. While 'there is no question China has to work on its public relations,' the campaign 'raises the larger philosophical question, especially in the case of human rights, of whether China has an image problem with the West, or a reality problem.'" Image from article, with caption: A video created by the Chinese government, now being shown in Times Square, features prominent Chinese talent including basketball star Yao Ming.
While China's Hu Jintao is in D.C, Other Chinese Innovators Hit Times Sq. - Stephen Nessen, wnyc.org: "China's soft power push or public diplomacy campaign has hit Times Square in the form of a 60 second video loop.
The video features familiar faces like Yao Ming, Jackie Chan, the pianist Lang Lang (who will perform at the White House), the first Chinese astronaut in space Yang Liwei, as well as lesser known Chinese celebrities, like Yuan Longping, the 'father of hybrid rice.'" Image from article, with caption: Chinese ad in Times Square featuring inventor of hybrid rice Yuan Longping on January 19, 2011 11:35 a.m.
China's video public diplomacy on Times Square and on CNN - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting: "The Chinese commercials on CNN and other US channels reach a larger American audience that China Radio International, CCTV-9, CNC World, or Blue Ocean Network combined. Television advertising is expensive, but, with well-crafted content and production, they can be a good vehicle for public diplomacy."
Soft Power and Public Diplomacy - John Brown, Notes and Essays: "If 'soft power' is, as I understand it (perhaps mistakenly) essentially an entity's power to attract other entities for what it is, then why does such an entity (call it a nation like the USA) require 'public diplomacy' to attract other nations? If we Americans seduce others because of who we are, then why need we 'sell' ourselves to others through PD? Indeed, countries that use public diplomacy, it could be argued, have a deficit of 'attractive power' and thus feel compelled to make up for it through government-supported programs that present and represent them overseas 'positively.' Take the USSR, with its vulgar propaganda, during the Cold War -- or China seeking to display itself favorably to Americans with a promotional video on six huge screens in Times Square. Is not, conceivably, 'soft power' an argument against the very notion of 'public diplomacy'? The below reflects my speculations better than I ever could: 'Soft power is, after all, like sex appeal on a national scale: it is more a reflection of who you are than how you talk about yourself, and if you say you have it, you probably don’t.' -- Blogger David Wolf."
Hu's on First? - Laura McGinnis, manIC: "The People's Republic of China has been donning its glad rags and batting its eyes at the international community in a targeted charm offensive, as this blog has noted before ... . In honor of President Hu's visit (and, let's be honest, because I will accept the flimsiest excuse to put a panda picture on this blog),
manIC takes a look at some recent PD efforts and boils them down to palatable and calorific soundbites and assigns them a grade." Image from article
Hard-line diplomacy - Roraig Finney, University of Virginia The Cavalier Daily: "China needs the United States to remain economically strong, given its trade relations and dollar reserves. The two nations are bound together; this enables more — not less — security to criticize the vicious work of one another’s government. In this context, U.S. weaknesses are not amplified, but diminished by diplomatic discourtesy. Chinese efforts to rebuke brash complaints about its repressive and cruel governance would quickly run into the realistic limits on economic retaliation. While rare cases of offense may easily be met — as they previously have been, with contract cancellations or the harassment of diplomats — a U.S. habit of rudeness and truculence could not be met with constant retaliation. The denial of legitimacy, of moral respect, to China would leverage perhaps the only major asset that the United States alone can withhold to real effect. China would then be forced to conduct real, hard-nosed public diplomacy, in which all can see their true nature, rather than the pageantry they presently perform."
Hu’s Going To Lead? Two New Agendas For Climate Diplomacy - Andrew Stevenson: "Much of U.S. climate and energy diplomacy over the last several years has been focused on China – with the complementary and overlapping objectives of persuading China - seen as key to a global agreement - to accept the American vision for global climate cooperation (parallel legal form, differentiated levels of ambition) and seeking to remove China’s perceived lack of action that has imposed a barrier to U.S. domestic progress – seen as one of the key obstacles in that battle.
The U.S. pursued the first objective through high-level bilateral outreach, smaller meetings such as the Major Economies Forum (MEF), being periodically tough on China in public diplomacy efforts, and key concessions in climate negotiations – mostly on financing – to increase pressure from other developing nations on China and give China the political breathing room to agree. These efforts, while torturous at times, have mostly succeeded." Image from
ISPU Fellows Outline Strategy to Improve US Image to Policy Makers - press release, PR.com: "Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) Fellows Azeem Ibrahim and Mehmet Celebi met with top policy makers to brief them on the finding of their latest report 'How to Improve the United States’ Image in the Muslim World.' The report urges policy makers to treat public diplomacy as a top priority due to recently identified trends in terrorism such as the decentralization of organizations like Al Qaeda and the rise of self starter terror cells; and global demographical changes which will see a significant rise of Muslim populations in the developing world over the next few decades. ... The ISPU team
also met with representatives from the Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and the Office of the Special Envoy to Muslim Communities at the State Department as well as officials from the Department of Defense Office of Communications, Planning and Integration. ... The fellows emphasized the need for objective scientific information and diverse messengers rather than ideology and assumptions which seemed to have been the basis of previous policies. They also presented thirteen wide-ranging recommendations for policy makers including specific training programs for State Departments officials in Muslim countries, better utilization of local media to communicate with specific demographical groups and the importance of improving relations with Turkey." Image from article
How much is that Facebook fan in the window? US Embassy Jakarta's $100,000 social media effort - Domani Spero, DiploPundit: "The Guardian recently published an unclassified 2010 cable from the US Embassy in Jakarta requesting $100,000 to 'amplify social media effort in time for March POTUS Visit.' ... A note on this specific cable. We have requested confirmation/clarification from the State Department regarding this funding request.
After our contact realized that we were referring to a leaked cable released by the Guardian, we were told that 'We of course do not comment on such items' and was offered someone who can call DiploPundit to 'discuss public diplomacy's work to support social media at posts around the world.' We politely declined the offer. We did point out that this cable is an unclassified material with no apparent restriction. We were then told that it's 'general policy not to speak about leaked materials, even if the alleged items are unclassified.'" Image from article
Will ‘Face The Nation’ Become ‘Face The World’? - Adam Clayton Powell III, Newswire – CPD Blog, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: "The U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors is considering asking commercial broadcasters to donate their news programming to Voice of America and other international broadcasters. That was the word from Dana Perino, a new member of the BBG board. ... Asked about this proposal, VOA veteran Alan Heil said there already was an arrangement to rebroadcast the Sunday programs, but only on a case-by-case basis: Each time a program breaks major news, VOA must request permission to excerpt that week's broadcast. Perino's proposal would extend that agreement to give VOA permission to carry all broadcasts every week in their entirety. One difficulty with this proposal is that some of the Sunday programs are already televised in other countries, as part of the commercial networks' global syndication agreements. Whether these broadcasts could also be carried on VOA or other U.S. government networks could be problematic."
VOA on The Daily Show - Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner.us: "Briefly, opening with 'I got a hold of your show on the web and I was so impressed with the heart of it,' Jon Stewart began his interview with Kambiz Hosseini and Saman Arbabi, two U.S. Government employees – and U.S. public diplomats – behind 'Parazit', a Voice of America program aimed at Iran. The interview, embedded below, followed a brief clip from the show. Two comments. First, kudos to VOA’s Persian News Network’s 'Parazit' for the recognition. Jon Stewart said to Hosseini and Arbabi, “you’re like our show but with real guts” and 'I’m proud to be considered in the fraternity of humorists that you guys are in.'
Second, Jon Stewart once again went to where little media has gone before: an examination of U.S. Government broadcasting – in this case, with high compliments – for the purpose of increasing American awareness in the same. This right of review, to become aware of what we’re doing abroad and why, to allow media within the borders of the United States access and permission to comment and rebroadcast or reuse material as they – in this case The Daily Show – see fit was the Congressional intent over six decades ago." Image from
Creators of the VOA Persian version of "The Daily Show" to appear on "The Daily Show" - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting: "There may be a dark side to all the publicity is getting from Parazit. If the program is a 'satirical look at Iranian politics and politicians,' and only Iranian politics and politicians, then the viewers of The Daily Show will perceive VOA as a station that does propaganda against the governments of its target countries."
Alhurra's flagship "Al Yaum" news program spawns a weekend "Best of" - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting
Fulbright was an anti-Semite* - Paul Rockower, Levantine: "As I realized years ago that I didn't need the Peace Corps to go abroad, I am finding that I don't need the Fulbright to do PD research abroad."
Teaming Up - Roaming Roemer: Official Blog of Timothy J. Roemer, U.S. Ambassador to India - "As President John F. Kennedy said 50 years ago in his inauguration speech, 'United, there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures.' This sentiment is true among U.S. ambassadors and embassies. It was my great pleasure to host the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter for two days as we looked for opportunities to work together.
Although working in separate countries, our two embassies can cooperate to improve the effectiveness of the U.S. government’s regional security initiatives, broaden the reach of our public diplomacy message, and open up markets for American, Indian, and Pakistani businesses. Just as my visit last year to Pakistan helped me understand the issues there, Ambassador Munter was able to better understand the issues, opportunities, and challenges facing India today." Image from article, with caption: With Ambassador Munter in Delhi
India's Smart Power in the US - T P Sreenivasan, Rediff: "President Obama may have brought business deals and jobs from India, but what is in evidence everywhere is the Indian smart power. It is palpable not only in the traditional 'Little Indias' in different cities, but in mainstream newspapers, Ivy League universities, and the boardrooms of American companies. Most news channels have Indian anchors and most newspapers have Indian bylines. Indian authors, who write on India, get bought by major publishing houses. ... The growth of literature on India by Indian and American authors, which began in earnest at the turn of the century, continues steadily. US bookstores are filled with new fiction and nonfiction about India and about other topics by Indians. ... Meanwhile, presiding over the entire US publishing industry is its most powerful editor and impresario, Sonny Mehta, editor-in-chief of Alfred A Knopf. ... As India's involvement in the growth of the US deepens, the search for the soul of India gains momentum. India's smart power gets projected in the US in very many ways. The effort of Indian public diplomacy in the US should be to accentuate the positive elements."
European Commission and US State Department Urged to Appeal to Iran for Mercy for Two Young Men Sentenced to Die by Stoning - lezgetreal.com: "An ad hoc coalition of LGBT activists (GLA*) has been working to bring the case of the impending stoning execution of two young men in Piranshahr, Iran, to the attention of the European Commission and the United States Department; and are pleased to note that both the Commission
and the US Department of State are currently working on the case. ... Mr. Bill Murad, Public Diplomacy Officer in the Department of Near East Affairs, US State Department ... stated that the US State Department has and will continue to speak out against the lack of transparency and failures in due process and that it is likely that the US would issue a Statement in this particular case as well as would consider a joint Statement upon the request of Mr. Cushman and possibly The Honorable Lady Ashton of the European Commission." Image from
Turkish Ambassador Coming to Pittsburgh Feb 3 to Discuss Cooperation and Partnerships for New Century: Turkey and the United States: A Robust Partnership in the New Century - globalpittsburgh.blogspot.com: "Ambassador Namık Tan,
was appointed Ambassador of Turkey to the United States in February 2010. Prior to this appointment, he served as Deputy Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responsible for bilateral political affairs and public diplomacy. He was previously Ambassador of Turkey to Israel from 2007 to 2009."
'Leaders of Change' summit to bring international figures to Turkey - Today's Zaman: "Turkey is planning to host prominent international figures, academics, intellectuals and senior government officials at a summit in İstanbul in March to discuss a recent wave of change around the world and Turkey’s role, contribution and position amid this tremendous transformation. In a news conference called on Tuesday to promote the summit, slated to be held on March 14-15, Yunus Söylet, the president of İstanbul University, the co-organizer of the 'Leaders of Change' summit along with the Turkish Future Research Foundation (TÜGAV), said universities have a duty to improve intellectual platforms that will lead to change and that the summit will be part of this process. ... Özgüç [hmet Eyüp Özgüç, chairman of the board of directors at TÜGAV] aid the summit is generously supported by the Turkish Prime Ministry’s Promotion Fund and its Public Diplomacy and that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will speak at the opening ceremony, while President Abdullah Gül will deliver his remarks during the closing ceremony."
Has Canada lost its place on world stage? - Chris Wattie, Toronto Star: "[Some] say [Prime Minister Stephen] Harper’s Tories have lost their passion for foreign relations, leaving a neglected and dejected diplomatic corps, short-term thinking on policies that fail to seize opportunities and polarized opinions of Canada in the world. ... [T]he government’s 2007 plan to develop a higher profile in the Americas has seen no new money and has been coupled with cutbacks to public diplomacy programs in the foreign ministry, said Carlo Dade, executive director of the Canadian Foundation for the Americas. So while Canada remains the second largest donor to the Organization of American States and to Haiti and a top bilateral donor among Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean, it often gets little bang for its buck, Dade said. And it is the areas where the government is engaged — its unwavering support of Israel and its contrarian stance at international climate change negotiations — that have soured countries that once regarded Canada
as a beacon of good in the world and contributed to the failed bid for a UN Security Council seat, observers say. Yet among those polarizing policies was one that may end up giving Canada a greater impact in the world. The decision to focus Canadian aid dollars on fewer countries was noticed across the developing world both for the short notice given to countries whose assistance was being cut and for the actual impact of yanking the development money. The result of the decision means Canada has moved from the middle of the pack in terms of development aid into the top five in the countries where the government has chosen to focus its efforts." Image from
Never Fail to Miss an Oppurtunity - Ari Bussel, newsblaze.com: "Israelis usually fight for the chance to travel overseas, and the higher the rank, or the position in the political realm, the feistier the fight. 'Why is he going and not me?' is normally at the back of one's mind. Thus, I thought to myself, an all expense paid trip will be welcome, not to mention the important topic of discussion to Israel's public diplomacy efforts. How mistaken I was. Even the booklet I promised, printed at taxpayer expense, was never sent or made available. I could possibly find the information on the internet, but why would a foreign journalist in Israel try to uncover the truth, when there is so much dirt thrown around and when the Palestinian extremely-well-oiled propaganda machine is constantly active on overdrive? ... Israelis, for some reason, do not like to listen to those on the front line, to reports from the field. They seem above it all, immune, unconquerable and indivisible."
How the 'settlement freeze' was stopped - israelmatzav.blogspot.com: "[T]hey [secular Israelis] have come to accept the inevitability of a two-state solution. 'I wouldn’t call it PR,' [Dani] Dayan [a former IDF major and secular high-tech tycoon who sold his software company in 2004 and threw himself full time into settlement politics] says hesitantly. 'It’s more like hasbara,' the Hebrew word that has come to mean public diplomacy. 'We’ve shifted our focus,' he says. 'We’re working to negate stereotypes. The Yesha Council was traditionally involved in promoting the interests of our communities, but we neglected the educational component of our task and failed to reach the Israeli public. The Israeli public needs to understand the historical link we have to the territories.'”
Jerusalem: The Biography by Simon Sebag Montefiore - Barnaby Rogerson, Independent: "Simon Sebag Montefiore's history of Jerusalem is a labour of love and scholarship. ... What Sebag Montefiore's history also makes clear is that possession of Jerusalem has time and time again been a poisoned chalice, a piece of imperial hubris
that brings the fates (and regional jealousies) down upon the state that possesses it. ... Another theme revealed is the vital role of the superpower ally. ... Modern Israel follows these historical examples. Zionism (formed and empowered out of the suffering of countless millions of Jews in the Russian Empire) piggy-backed its way into the Holy Land through the agency of the British Empire before adopting the US as its sole parent after 1956. Part of the political genius of the Zionist leadership was that it created an incomparably effective, good-cop, bad-cop strategy to its public diplomacy. Elegant men of letters and science, a Theodor Herzl or Chaim Weizmann or Sir Moses Montefiore, held sway in the drawing-rooms and conferences, while the people with real power, like Ben Gurion and Menachim Begin, quietly exercised other skills – with guns, bombs, assassination and fear." Image from article, with caption: Site of imperial hubris: the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem's Old City
Labor Unrest in Israel’s Foreign Service Is Felt in Capitals Around the Globe: Work Slowdown Prompts World Leaders To Cancel Visits, Leaves Visas in Limbo and Phone Calls Unreturned - Nathan Guttman, forward.com: “'There is an enormous erosion in the salary of diplomats which has not been corrected in years,' said Noam Katz, minister for public diplomacy at the Israeli embassy in Washington."
Thai official Calls for Enhanced Media Cooperation with Iran - Fars News Agency: "Director-General of the Thai Government's Public Relations Department Grisanaporan Soempanich in a meeting with an Iranian delegation underlined his country's eagerness to boost media cooperation with Tehran. Soempanich made the remarks in a meeting with Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast and a delegation of Iranian media persons in Bangkok on Wednesday.
During the meeting, Mehman-Parast said media communications is a part of 'strong public diplomacy' adding media plays a vital role in bringing closer the nations. He said that Iran would invite the Thai media delegation to visit Iran in near future." Image from article See also
Estonian Ambassador to Slovenia Presents Credentials - Estonian Embassy in Moscow: "On Thursday, 20 January, Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia to the Republic of Slovenia Priit Pallum presented his credentials to President of Slovenia Danilo Türk. ... The ambassador ... [said] that co-operation in the cultural and public diplomacy sectors could be developed further in order to also increase people-to-people contacts."
20,000 Migrant Workers Repatriated from Saudi: "Their visas are expired" - Renne R.A Kawilarang, Denny Armandhanu, VIVAnews: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs regularly deports troubled Indonesian migrant workers from Saudi Arabia. The workers usually assemble under the bridges of Jeddah as they look forward to be casted out from the country. ... However, Director of Public Diplomacy at
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kusuma Habir, said the number of Indonesian migrant workers residing under the bridges are never constant." Image from article, with caption: A worker lies ill under Jeddah bridge
Long Live Wiki-Diplomacy - aragkhanna.com: "Since the WikiLeaks scandal exploded at the end of last year, many commentators have declared this episode marks 'the end of diplomacy.' Nonsense. For almost two centuries, even world leaders have feared that communications technology would marginalize diplomacy’s special role in international relations. ... Diplomacy has become a hypercomplex ecosystem of perpetual engagement among all these players.
In fact, the best analogy to diplomacy today is
a massive multiplayer online game. Even cyberspace is already alive with virtual diplomacy: Sweden, Brazil and other governments have opened virtual consulates in the universe of Second Life, where James Glassman, former U.S. undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, held debates with Egyptian bloggers." Khanna image from article
Conference on "Women2Women America" - healthinlife.net: “'Women2Women – America' will take place from August 3 – August 10, 2010 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The goal of Women2Women is to provide young women students from around the world with the opportunity to learn, network, and acquire the leadership and professional development skills needed to succeed. Participants will also meet and interact with their counterparts from around the world. The core theme of Women2Women – America is 'Claim Your Seat at the Table.' Sub-themes include cultural leadership, government and public service, and media technology and media literacy. The purpose of the conference is to empower young women to become future leaders. To be accepted into Women2Women, applicants must demonstrate interest in leadership development, the democratic process and public diplomacy."
Profnet Expert Alerts: State of the Union Address - "Dr. James M. Ludes is the executive director of the American Security Project (ASP), think tank in Washington, D.C. He can discuss issues related to national security policy, defense, Congress and public diplomacy.
ASP was founded in 2006 to educate the public on a broad range of national security issues and the value of a principled approach to security." Ludes image from
RELATED ITEMS
Amid the wining and dining of Hu Jintao, a display of American 'smart power' - David Ignatius, Washington Post: The grand reception of Hu was an example of what Harvard's Joe Nye likes to call "smart power." For Chinese (and Americans) who believe that the United States is in decline, this was a show that only a superpower could produce - and in that sense, a reassuring sign of the continuity of American power. If the summit meeting produced some modest gains, it was because the Obama administration has made an effort in the past several months to demonstrate that America is not quite so weak and disoriented as the Chinese might have imagined after the financial crisis and the soggy Iraq-Afghanistan wars.
DC hosts China's Hu - Yelena Osipova, Global Chaos: "Since it's the big news in town these days, I thought I'd share this photo - taken over this past weekend - as downtown DC was getting ready to host the leader of the 'World's Second'. ... Cannot but point out my friend's observation:
'Two American flags for one Chinese.' Later added: '[But] of course, the Chinese one is in the middle...'"
Indian Propaganda Against Pakistan Air Force Video - pakistan66.blogspot.com
Russian propaganda started to work with Georgian children - Experts' club: Inhabitants of children's home of Akhalgori were forced to attend military exercises of occupants. Children were shown equipment of so-called border guards and were told about activities of Russian troops in the occupied region. Pupils of Georgian and Ossetian schools were also brought to the exercises. Then children were given brochures entitled "Russia - South Ossetia" that had been specially delivered from Tskhinvali. These booklets advertised armed formations of Eduard Kokoity.
Propaganda Games closes its doors - Mike Harradence, PlayStation Universe: Disney Interactive Studios has announced that Vancouver-based developer Propaganda Games has officially shut up shop.
The decision may not come as a surprise to some, with the company having landed itself in a spot of bother last year leading to Disney’s decision to trim the studios' work force and shelve its anticipated sandbox effort, Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned. Propaganda is best known for its work on dino blaster Turok and the futuristic Tron: Evolution, the latter of which released late last year. Image from
BANNED IN MAINLAND CHINA?
E-mail Response from blogger extraordinaire Paul Rockower re the PDPBR compiler's query about the possible banning of the PDPBR in mainland China: "I am not so sure your blog is banned per se,
but all blogs on blogspot (and other sites) are blocked. When I was last in China, I couldn't access any blog sites, including yours and my own. Twitter and Facebook as well." Image from
--Your PDPBR compiler, in his Notes and Essays; image from
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
Chinese ads aim to soften image in U.S., doubts remain - Jim Young, Reuters: "Seeking to soften its image among Americans, China has paid for a promotional video to appear on six giant screens in New York's Times Square and on CNN, but experts doubt the campaign will change perceptions in the United States. The launch of the one-minute video, which state-run news agency Xinhua called part of a 'public diplomacy campaign,' coincides with President Hu Jintao's state visit to the United States.
It is China's latest effort to bolster its so-called 'soft power' -- exerting influence through culture and lifestyle rather than coercion, experts said. ... China, whose use of soft power began in earnest when it hosted the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, is spending billions of dollars to boost its image abroad including through Confucius Institutes that teach Chinese language and culture, according to Joseph Nye, a Harvard University professor of international relations. Confucius Institutes are located in various places around the world, including in the United States. 'This campaign (the promotional videos) is consistent with their soft power efforts,' Nye said. 'It's useful for them to do, but I don't think it will have a huge effect.'" Image from article, with caption: President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama welcome President of China Hu Jintao for a State Dinner at the White House in Washington, January 19, 2011.
China invades Times Square: Can a PR offensive woo Americans? China has launched a massive "diplomacy campaign" coinciding with President Hu Jintao's Washington visit. But commentators aren't sure the big publicity push will work: "The reaction: 'If the intent is to teach Americans about the Chinese, the campaign falls woefully short,' says Isaac Stone Fish in Newsweek. While 'hardly offensive,' it's 'unlikely' that 60 'boring' seconds of smiling Chinese celebrities will 'inspire Americans to learn Mandarin.'
And the ads have 'a risk of backfiring,' says Gady Epstein in Forbes. While 'there is no question China has to work on its public relations,' the campaign 'raises the larger philosophical question, especially in the case of human rights, of whether China has an image problem with the West, or a reality problem.'" Image from article, with caption: A video created by the Chinese government, now being shown in Times Square, features prominent Chinese talent including basketball star Yao Ming.
While China's Hu Jintao is in D.C, Other Chinese Innovators Hit Times Sq. - Stephen Nessen, wnyc.org: "China's soft power push or public diplomacy campaign has hit Times Square in the form of a 60 second video loop.
The video features familiar faces like Yao Ming, Jackie Chan, the pianist Lang Lang (who will perform at the White House), the first Chinese astronaut in space Yang Liwei, as well as lesser known Chinese celebrities, like Yuan Longping, the 'father of hybrid rice.'" Image from article, with caption: Chinese ad in Times Square featuring inventor of hybrid rice Yuan Longping on January 19, 2011 11:35 a.m.
China's video public diplomacy on Times Square and on CNN - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting: "The Chinese commercials on CNN and other US channels reach a larger American audience that China Radio International, CCTV-9, CNC World, or Blue Ocean Network combined. Television advertising is expensive, but, with well-crafted content and production, they can be a good vehicle for public diplomacy."
Soft Power and Public Diplomacy - John Brown, Notes and Essays: "If 'soft power' is, as I understand it (perhaps mistakenly) essentially an entity's power to attract other entities for what it is, then why does such an entity (call it a nation like the USA) require 'public diplomacy' to attract other nations? If we Americans seduce others because of who we are, then why need we 'sell' ourselves to others through PD? Indeed, countries that use public diplomacy, it could be argued, have a deficit of 'attractive power' and thus feel compelled to make up for it through government-supported programs that present and represent them overseas 'positively.' Take the USSR, with its vulgar propaganda, during the Cold War -- or China seeking to display itself favorably to Americans with a promotional video on six huge screens in Times Square. Is not, conceivably, 'soft power' an argument against the very notion of 'public diplomacy'? The below reflects my speculations better than I ever could: 'Soft power is, after all, like sex appeal on a national scale: it is more a reflection of who you are than how you talk about yourself, and if you say you have it, you probably don’t.' -- Blogger David Wolf."
Hu's on First? - Laura McGinnis, manIC: "The People's Republic of China has been donning its glad rags and batting its eyes at the international community in a targeted charm offensive, as this blog has noted before ... . In honor of President Hu's visit (and, let's be honest, because I will accept the flimsiest excuse to put a panda picture on this blog),
manIC takes a look at some recent PD efforts and boils them down to palatable and calorific soundbites and assigns them a grade." Image from article
Hard-line diplomacy - Roraig Finney, University of Virginia The Cavalier Daily: "China needs the United States to remain economically strong, given its trade relations and dollar reserves. The two nations are bound together; this enables more — not less — security to criticize the vicious work of one another’s government. In this context, U.S. weaknesses are not amplified, but diminished by diplomatic discourtesy. Chinese efforts to rebuke brash complaints about its repressive and cruel governance would quickly run into the realistic limits on economic retaliation. While rare cases of offense may easily be met — as they previously have been, with contract cancellations or the harassment of diplomats — a U.S. habit of rudeness and truculence could not be met with constant retaliation. The denial of legitimacy, of moral respect, to China would leverage perhaps the only major asset that the United States alone can withhold to real effect. China would then be forced to conduct real, hard-nosed public diplomacy, in which all can see their true nature, rather than the pageantry they presently perform."
Hu’s Going To Lead? Two New Agendas For Climate Diplomacy - Andrew Stevenson: "Much of U.S. climate and energy diplomacy over the last several years has been focused on China – with the complementary and overlapping objectives of persuading China - seen as key to a global agreement - to accept the American vision for global climate cooperation (parallel legal form, differentiated levels of ambition) and seeking to remove China’s perceived lack of action that has imposed a barrier to U.S. domestic progress – seen as one of the key obstacles in that battle.
The U.S. pursued the first objective through high-level bilateral outreach, smaller meetings such as the Major Economies Forum (MEF), being periodically tough on China in public diplomacy efforts, and key concessions in climate negotiations – mostly on financing – to increase pressure from other developing nations on China and give China the political breathing room to agree. These efforts, while torturous at times, have mostly succeeded." Image from
ISPU Fellows Outline Strategy to Improve US Image to Policy Makers - press release, PR.com: "Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) Fellows Azeem Ibrahim and Mehmet Celebi met with top policy makers to brief them on the finding of their latest report 'How to Improve the United States’ Image in the Muslim World.' The report urges policy makers to treat public diplomacy as a top priority due to recently identified trends in terrorism such as the decentralization of organizations like Al Qaeda and the rise of self starter terror cells; and global demographical changes which will see a significant rise of Muslim populations in the developing world over the next few decades. ... The ISPU team
also met with representatives from the Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and the Office of the Special Envoy to Muslim Communities at the State Department as well as officials from the Department of Defense Office of Communications, Planning and Integration. ... The fellows emphasized the need for objective scientific information and diverse messengers rather than ideology and assumptions which seemed to have been the basis of previous policies. They also presented thirteen wide-ranging recommendations for policy makers including specific training programs for State Departments officials in Muslim countries, better utilization of local media to communicate with specific demographical groups and the importance of improving relations with Turkey." Image from article
How much is that Facebook fan in the window? US Embassy Jakarta's $100,000 social media effort - Domani Spero, DiploPundit: "The Guardian recently published an unclassified 2010 cable from the US Embassy in Jakarta requesting $100,000 to 'amplify social media effort in time for March POTUS Visit.' ... A note on this specific cable. We have requested confirmation/clarification from the State Department regarding this funding request.
After our contact realized that we were referring to a leaked cable released by the Guardian, we were told that 'We of course do not comment on such items' and was offered someone who can call DiploPundit to 'discuss public diplomacy's work to support social media at posts around the world.' We politely declined the offer. We did point out that this cable is an unclassified material with no apparent restriction. We were then told that it's 'general policy not to speak about leaked materials, even if the alleged items are unclassified.'" Image from article
Will ‘Face The Nation’ Become ‘Face The World’? - Adam Clayton Powell III, Newswire – CPD Blog, USC Center on Public Diplomacy: "The U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors is considering asking commercial broadcasters to donate their news programming to Voice of America and other international broadcasters. That was the word from Dana Perino, a new member of the BBG board. ... Asked about this proposal, VOA veteran Alan Heil said there already was an arrangement to rebroadcast the Sunday programs, but only on a case-by-case basis: Each time a program breaks major news, VOA must request permission to excerpt that week's broadcast. Perino's proposal would extend that agreement to give VOA permission to carry all broadcasts every week in their entirety. One difficulty with this proposal is that some of the Sunday programs are already televised in other countries, as part of the commercial networks' global syndication agreements. Whether these broadcasts could also be carried on VOA or other U.S. government networks could be problematic."
VOA on The Daily Show - Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner.us: "Briefly, opening with 'I got a hold of your show on the web and I was so impressed with the heart of it,' Jon Stewart began his interview with Kambiz Hosseini and Saman Arbabi, two U.S. Government employees – and U.S. public diplomats – behind 'Parazit', a Voice of America program aimed at Iran. The interview, embedded below, followed a brief clip from the show. Two comments. First, kudos to VOA’s Persian News Network’s 'Parazit' for the recognition. Jon Stewart said to Hosseini and Arbabi, “you’re like our show but with real guts” and 'I’m proud to be considered in the fraternity of humorists that you guys are in.'
Second, Jon Stewart once again went to where little media has gone before: an examination of U.S. Government broadcasting – in this case, with high compliments – for the purpose of increasing American awareness in the same. This right of review, to become aware of what we’re doing abroad and why, to allow media within the borders of the United States access and permission to comment and rebroadcast or reuse material as they – in this case The Daily Show – see fit was the Congressional intent over six decades ago." Image from
Creators of the VOA Persian version of "The Daily Show" to appear on "The Daily Show" - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting: "There may be a dark side to all the publicity is getting from Parazit. If the program is a 'satirical look at Iranian politics and politicians,' and only Iranian politics and politicians, then the viewers of The Daily Show will perceive VOA as a station that does propaganda against the governments of its target countries."
Alhurra's flagship "Al Yaum" news program spawns a weekend "Best of" - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting
Fulbright was an anti-Semite* - Paul Rockower, Levantine: "As I realized years ago that I didn't need the Peace Corps to go abroad, I am finding that I don't need the Fulbright to do PD research abroad."
Teaming Up - Roaming Roemer: Official Blog of Timothy J. Roemer, U.S. Ambassador to India - "As President John F. Kennedy said 50 years ago in his inauguration speech, 'United, there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures.' This sentiment is true among U.S. ambassadors and embassies. It was my great pleasure to host the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter for two days as we looked for opportunities to work together.
Although working in separate countries, our two embassies can cooperate to improve the effectiveness of the U.S. government’s regional security initiatives, broaden the reach of our public diplomacy message, and open up markets for American, Indian, and Pakistani businesses. Just as my visit last year to Pakistan helped me understand the issues there, Ambassador Munter was able to better understand the issues, opportunities, and challenges facing India today." Image from article, with caption: With Ambassador Munter in Delhi
India's Smart Power in the US - T P Sreenivasan, Rediff: "President Obama may have brought business deals and jobs from India, but what is in evidence everywhere is the Indian smart power. It is palpable not only in the traditional 'Little Indias' in different cities, but in mainstream newspapers, Ivy League universities, and the boardrooms of American companies. Most news channels have Indian anchors and most newspapers have Indian bylines. Indian authors, who write on India, get bought by major publishing houses. ... The growth of literature on India by Indian and American authors, which began in earnest at the turn of the century, continues steadily. US bookstores are filled with new fiction and nonfiction about India and about other topics by Indians. ... Meanwhile, presiding over the entire US publishing industry is its most powerful editor and impresario, Sonny Mehta, editor-in-chief of Alfred A Knopf. ... As India's involvement in the growth of the US deepens, the search for the soul of India gains momentum. India's smart power gets projected in the US in very many ways. The effort of Indian public diplomacy in the US should be to accentuate the positive elements."
European Commission and US State Department Urged to Appeal to Iran for Mercy for Two Young Men Sentenced to Die by Stoning - lezgetreal.com: "An ad hoc coalition of LGBT activists (GLA*) has been working to bring the case of the impending stoning execution of two young men in Piranshahr, Iran, to the attention of the European Commission and the United States Department; and are pleased to note that both the Commission
and the US Department of State are currently working on the case. ... Mr. Bill Murad, Public Diplomacy Officer in the Department of Near East Affairs, US State Department ... stated that the US State Department has and will continue to speak out against the lack of transparency and failures in due process and that it is likely that the US would issue a Statement in this particular case as well as would consider a joint Statement upon the request of Mr. Cushman and possibly The Honorable Lady Ashton of the European Commission." Image from
Turkish Ambassador Coming to Pittsburgh Feb 3 to Discuss Cooperation and Partnerships for New Century: Turkey and the United States: A Robust Partnership in the New Century - globalpittsburgh.blogspot.com: "Ambassador Namık Tan,
was appointed Ambassador of Turkey to the United States in February 2010. Prior to this appointment, he served as Deputy Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responsible for bilateral political affairs and public diplomacy. He was previously Ambassador of Turkey to Israel from 2007 to 2009."
'Leaders of Change' summit to bring international figures to Turkey - Today's Zaman: "Turkey is planning to host prominent international figures, academics, intellectuals and senior government officials at a summit in İstanbul in March to discuss a recent wave of change around the world and Turkey’s role, contribution and position amid this tremendous transformation. In a news conference called on Tuesday to promote the summit, slated to be held on March 14-15, Yunus Söylet, the president of İstanbul University, the co-organizer of the 'Leaders of Change' summit along with the Turkish Future Research Foundation (TÜGAV), said universities have a duty to improve intellectual platforms that will lead to change and that the summit will be part of this process. ... Özgüç [hmet Eyüp Özgüç, chairman of the board of directors at TÜGAV] aid the summit is generously supported by the Turkish Prime Ministry’s Promotion Fund and its Public Diplomacy and that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will speak at the opening ceremony, while President Abdullah Gül will deliver his remarks during the closing ceremony."
Has Canada lost its place on world stage? - Chris Wattie, Toronto Star: "[Some] say [Prime Minister Stephen] Harper’s Tories have lost their passion for foreign relations, leaving a neglected and dejected diplomatic corps, short-term thinking on policies that fail to seize opportunities and polarized opinions of Canada in the world. ... [T]he government’s 2007 plan to develop a higher profile in the Americas has seen no new money and has been coupled with cutbacks to public diplomacy programs in the foreign ministry, said Carlo Dade, executive director of the Canadian Foundation for the Americas. So while Canada remains the second largest donor to the Organization of American States and to Haiti and a top bilateral donor among Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean, it often gets little bang for its buck, Dade said. And it is the areas where the government is engaged — its unwavering support of Israel and its contrarian stance at international climate change negotiations — that have soured countries that once regarded Canada
as a beacon of good in the world and contributed to the failed bid for a UN Security Council seat, observers say. Yet among those polarizing policies was one that may end up giving Canada a greater impact in the world. The decision to focus Canadian aid dollars on fewer countries was noticed across the developing world both for the short notice given to countries whose assistance was being cut and for the actual impact of yanking the development money. The result of the decision means Canada has moved from the middle of the pack in terms of development aid into the top five in the countries where the government has chosen to focus its efforts." Image from
Never Fail to Miss an Oppurtunity - Ari Bussel, newsblaze.com: "Israelis usually fight for the chance to travel overseas, and the higher the rank, or the position in the political realm, the feistier the fight. 'Why is he going and not me?' is normally at the back of one's mind. Thus, I thought to myself, an all expense paid trip will be welcome, not to mention the important topic of discussion to Israel's public diplomacy efforts. How mistaken I was. Even the booklet I promised, printed at taxpayer expense, was never sent or made available. I could possibly find the information on the internet, but why would a foreign journalist in Israel try to uncover the truth, when there is so much dirt thrown around and when the Palestinian extremely-well-oiled propaganda machine is constantly active on overdrive? ... Israelis, for some reason, do not like to listen to those on the front line, to reports from the field. They seem above it all, immune, unconquerable and indivisible."
How the 'settlement freeze' was stopped - israelmatzav.blogspot.com: "[T]hey [secular Israelis] have come to accept the inevitability of a two-state solution. 'I wouldn’t call it PR,' [Dani] Dayan [a former IDF major and secular high-tech tycoon who sold his software company in 2004 and threw himself full time into settlement politics] says hesitantly. 'It’s more like hasbara,' the Hebrew word that has come to mean public diplomacy. 'We’ve shifted our focus,' he says. 'We’re working to negate stereotypes. The Yesha Council was traditionally involved in promoting the interests of our communities, but we neglected the educational component of our task and failed to reach the Israeli public. The Israeli public needs to understand the historical link we have to the territories.'”
Jerusalem: The Biography by Simon Sebag Montefiore - Barnaby Rogerson, Independent: "Simon Sebag Montefiore's history of Jerusalem is a labour of love and scholarship. ... What Sebag Montefiore's history also makes clear is that possession of Jerusalem has time and time again been a poisoned chalice, a piece of imperial hubris
that brings the fates (and regional jealousies) down upon the state that possesses it. ... Another theme revealed is the vital role of the superpower ally. ... Modern Israel follows these historical examples. Zionism (formed and empowered out of the suffering of countless millions of Jews in the Russian Empire) piggy-backed its way into the Holy Land through the agency of the British Empire before adopting the US as its sole parent after 1956. Part of the political genius of the Zionist leadership was that it created an incomparably effective, good-cop, bad-cop strategy to its public diplomacy. Elegant men of letters and science, a Theodor Herzl or Chaim Weizmann or Sir Moses Montefiore, held sway in the drawing-rooms and conferences, while the people with real power, like Ben Gurion and Menachim Begin, quietly exercised other skills – with guns, bombs, assassination and fear." Image from article, with caption: Site of imperial hubris: the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem's Old City
Labor Unrest in Israel’s Foreign Service Is Felt in Capitals Around the Globe: Work Slowdown Prompts World Leaders To Cancel Visits, Leaves Visas in Limbo and Phone Calls Unreturned - Nathan Guttman, forward.com: “'There is an enormous erosion in the salary of diplomats which has not been corrected in years,' said Noam Katz, minister for public diplomacy at the Israeli embassy in Washington."
Thai official Calls for Enhanced Media Cooperation with Iran - Fars News Agency: "Director-General of the Thai Government's Public Relations Department Grisanaporan Soempanich in a meeting with an Iranian delegation underlined his country's eagerness to boost media cooperation with Tehran. Soempanich made the remarks in a meeting with Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast and a delegation of Iranian media persons in Bangkok on Wednesday.
During the meeting, Mehman-Parast said media communications is a part of 'strong public diplomacy' adding media plays a vital role in bringing closer the nations. He said that Iran would invite the Thai media delegation to visit Iran in near future." Image from article See also
Estonian Ambassador to Slovenia Presents Credentials - Estonian Embassy in Moscow: "On Thursday, 20 January, Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia to the Republic of Slovenia Priit Pallum presented his credentials to President of Slovenia Danilo Türk. ... The ambassador ... [said] that co-operation in the cultural and public diplomacy sectors could be developed further in order to also increase people-to-people contacts."
20,000 Migrant Workers Repatriated from Saudi: "Their visas are expired" - Renne R.A Kawilarang, Denny Armandhanu, VIVAnews: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs regularly deports troubled Indonesian migrant workers from Saudi Arabia. The workers usually assemble under the bridges of Jeddah as they look forward to be casted out from the country. ... However, Director of Public Diplomacy at
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kusuma Habir, said the number of Indonesian migrant workers residing under the bridges are never constant." Image from article, with caption: A worker lies ill under Jeddah bridge
Long Live Wiki-Diplomacy - aragkhanna.com: "Since the WikiLeaks scandal exploded at the end of last year, many commentators have declared this episode marks 'the end of diplomacy.' Nonsense. For almost two centuries, even world leaders have feared that communications technology would marginalize diplomacy’s special role in international relations. ... Diplomacy has become a hypercomplex ecosystem of perpetual engagement among all these players.
In fact, the best analogy to diplomacy today is
a massive multiplayer online game. Even cyberspace is already alive with virtual diplomacy: Sweden, Brazil and other governments have opened virtual consulates in the universe of Second Life, where James Glassman, former U.S. undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, held debates with Egyptian bloggers." Khanna image from article
Conference on "Women2Women America" - healthinlife.net: “'Women2Women – America' will take place from August 3 – August 10, 2010 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The goal of Women2Women is to provide young women students from around the world with the opportunity to learn, network, and acquire the leadership and professional development skills needed to succeed. Participants will also meet and interact with their counterparts from around the world. The core theme of Women2Women – America is 'Claim Your Seat at the Table.' Sub-themes include cultural leadership, government and public service, and media technology and media literacy. The purpose of the conference is to empower young women to become future leaders. To be accepted into Women2Women, applicants must demonstrate interest in leadership development, the democratic process and public diplomacy."
Profnet Expert Alerts: State of the Union Address - "Dr. James M. Ludes is the executive director of the American Security Project (ASP), think tank in Washington, D.C. He can discuss issues related to national security policy, defense, Congress and public diplomacy.
ASP was founded in 2006 to educate the public on a broad range of national security issues and the value of a principled approach to security." Ludes image from
RELATED ITEMS
Amid the wining and dining of Hu Jintao, a display of American 'smart power' - David Ignatius, Washington Post: The grand reception of Hu was an example of what Harvard's Joe Nye likes to call "smart power." For Chinese (and Americans) who believe that the United States is in decline, this was a show that only a superpower could produce - and in that sense, a reassuring sign of the continuity of American power. If the summit meeting produced some modest gains, it was because the Obama administration has made an effort in the past several months to demonstrate that America is not quite so weak and disoriented as the Chinese might have imagined after the financial crisis and the soggy Iraq-Afghanistan wars.
DC hosts China's Hu - Yelena Osipova, Global Chaos: "Since it's the big news in town these days, I thought I'd share this photo - taken over this past weekend - as downtown DC was getting ready to host the leader of the 'World's Second'. ... Cannot but point out my friend's observation:
'Two American flags for one Chinese.' Later added: '[But] of course, the Chinese one is in the middle...'"
Indian Propaganda Against Pakistan Air Force Video - pakistan66.blogspot.com
Russian propaganda started to work with Georgian children - Experts' club: Inhabitants of children's home of Akhalgori were forced to attend military exercises of occupants. Children were shown equipment of so-called border guards and were told about activities of Russian troops in the occupied region. Pupils of Georgian and Ossetian schools were also brought to the exercises. Then children were given brochures entitled "Russia - South Ossetia" that had been specially delivered from Tskhinvali. These booklets advertised armed formations of Eduard Kokoity.
Propaganda Games closes its doors - Mike Harradence, PlayStation Universe: Disney Interactive Studios has announced that Vancouver-based developer Propaganda Games has officially shut up shop.
The decision may not come as a surprise to some, with the company having landed itself in a spot of bother last year leading to Disney’s decision to trim the studios' work force and shelve its anticipated sandbox effort, Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned. Propaganda is best known for its work on dino blaster Turok and the futuristic Tron: Evolution, the latter of which released late last year. Image from
BANNED IN MAINLAND CHINA?
E-mail Response from blogger extraordinaire Paul Rockower re the PDPBR compiler's query about the possible banning of the PDPBR in mainland China: "I am not so sure your blog is banned per se,
but all blogs on blogspot (and other sites) are blocked. When I was last in China, I couldn't access any blog sites, including yours and my own. Twitter and Facebook as well." Image from
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