"A high culture is the self-consciousness of a society. It contains the works of art, literature, scholarship and philosophy that establish a shared frame of reference among educated people. High culture is a precarious achievement, and endures only if it is underpinned by a sense of tradition, and by a broad endorsement of the surrounding social norms. When those things evaporate, as inevitably happens, high culture is superseded by a culture of fakes."
--Roger Scruton, "The great swindle: From pickled sharks to compositions in silence, fake ideas and fake emotions have elbowed out truth and beauty," aeonmagazine.com; image from article, with caption: Artist Jeff Koons with sculpture; via NI on Facebook
VIDEOS
(a) 2012 Cultural Diplomacy for the 21st Century - Cynthia Schneider
(b) Chris Hedges: Propaganda, Endless War, Repression, Greed, and Betrayal
(c) Video: Secrets of World War Z Leaked - Prison Planet.com: This May, Brad Pitt’s zombie apocalypse film, “World War Z” is scheduled to be released. The movie should not be viewed as just another Zombie flick but as hard core UN war propaganda aimed at the sovereign citizens of the United States.
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
Why the U.S. Can't Abandon Afghanistan: These five principles should guide the U.S.-Afghan relationship after 2014 - Davood Moradian, Foreign Policy: "For years, Afghanistan has been a security black hole and a battleground for competing interests. But it also has the potential to catalyze greater regional cooperation and integration. In order to achieve that potential, it needs the cooperation -- either active or passive -- of its neighbors and allies. From neighbors like Pakistan, Afghanistan needs non-interference, and from allies like the United States, it needs assistance with stabilization and reconstruction. Projects like the 'New Silk Route,' 'Istanbul Process,' and the 'Heart of Asia' initiative remain at the public-diplomacy stage.
The United States must help translate these visions into concrete projects; examples include expediting the establishment of the Trans-Afghanistan natural gas pipeline and connecting Afghanistan's railroad networks into the region. The region is fearful that Afghanistan will relapse into its violent past, possibly dragging its neighbors with it. Washington and the rest of the international community share such concerns. But so far, U.S. regional diplomacy has primarily followed immediate military objectives, engaging trouble-makers like Pakistan and the Taliban. ... Despite the steady proliferation of media and civil society organizations, state institutions are being captured by a combination of 'necktie Taliban,' narco-mafia, and ethnic entrepreneurs. At the same time, there is a growing sense of disempowerment among the silent majority. Rather than pursuing a legalistic approach which prioritizes formal institutions, the United States must empower and widen the civic space in Afghanistan by confronting abusive powerbrokers who have captured much of the state and economy. ... Despite its understandable disillusion with a lack of sufficient progress in Afghanistan, Washington must not relapse into an isolationist corner." Karzai image from article
Ambassador Charles Rivkin and American Diplomacy in Paris Suburbs - theworld.org: "Among the plumb posts President Obama is expected to refill this year is Ambassador to
But the 21st century has seen a shift, with stepped up outreach into minority — especially Muslim — communities. In
Russian pride or Russian orphans? The question polarizing Russia - Billy, rusrelations.wordpress.com: "Americans are often flabbergasted when they hear of Russia’s actions like the decision to forbid Americans from adopting Russian children.
Yet understanding Russia’s motivations through examining society’s views on this and similar issues will help the US develop better ways to communicate with Russian society through public diplomacy, for example." Putin image from entry
Obama’s Effect Turkish and US Relations - Anıl Sural, anilsural.blogspot.com: "Yes we can. Turkey and United States of American do it together. I believe President Barack Obama election victory will effect in a good way and improve our country. The new policy of the United States for region where is turkey's neighbors directly affecting the relations between the two countries. The smart point is common based and strong vision and understanding politics necessary. Our region is dynamic so our relations are not direct Turkey - US. Bilateral relations are base two states and our region neighbors. US want Turkey for international actor because our boundaries north, south, east and west are important for geopolitical. And in Middle East region we have role for Obama idea. U.S. is the world's largest global power. Turkey is being a global power and candidate for a regional power in its own region. President Obama respond 'public diplomacy' and 'soft power' based in the university, business leaders and non-governmental organizations. He want understand each other, negotiating and share all together."
Committees on Foreign Policy - Jess Dy, jdy13.blogspot.com: "The House Committee on Foreign Affairs is led by Chairman Ed Royce. There are five subcommittees within the Foreign Affairs Issue. The chairman for Africa, Global Health, Human Rights, and International Organizations is led by Chairman Rep. Chris Smith from New Jersey. Another subcommittee that deals with issues in Asia and the Pacific is Chairman Rep. Steve Chabot. The third subcommittee is on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging threats, which is led by Chairman Rep. Dana Rohrabacher. Chairman Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is in charge of the Middle East and North Africa while Chairman Rep. Ted Poe takes care of terrorism, nonproliferation, and Trade.
And lastly, Chairman Rep. Matt Salmon is in charge of the Western Hemisphere. The Full Committee is responsible for issues relating to foreign assistance such as the Peace Corps, national security developments affecting foreign policy, war powers, treaties, executive agreements, and the use of United States Armed Forces.
The committee looks to keep peace among the United Nations and make decisions over arms control and disarmament issues. They deal with public diplomacy and international communications/education, and cultural programs." Clinton image from entry; other image from
Benghazi Shows State Department Must Rethink Public Diplomacy - Robert Schadler, usnews.com: "We now have definitive proof that it was a terrorist attack that killed Ambassador Stevens and three of his colleagues. But the reason the ambassador was in Benghazi—the robust pursuit of public diplomacy—still needs urgent attention. A proper memorial would be for our new Secretary of State to rethink, from the ground up, the best possible means to conduct our public diplomacy."
Benghazi and not Benghazi - Ruth's Report: "Robert Schadler uses Benghazi as a topic at U.S. News and World Reports to argue that the decision in 1999 to end the U.S. Information Agency helped create our modern problems. Disagree!"
Public Diplomacy Proposals - Guatemala - grants.gov: "Description [:] The Embassy of the United States of America in Guatemala’s Public Affairs Section (PAS) invites interested individuals and non-profit organizations from Guatemala and the United States to submit proposals for projects requesting funding. A panel comprised of Embassy staff members will review each complete proposal received before the deadline of midnight, Wednesday, February 20, 2013 and select five to eight proposals for funding. At least one, but no more than three, of the selected proposals will be from individuals or organizations who have never received U.S. Government funding. All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by March 31, 2013. Please note that selected proposals will have to complete additional forms and registration documents within thirty days of notification in order to receive funding. Proposals should fit under one of four main themes: 1) Supporting the rule of law and citizen security 2) Encouraging economic growth and sustainable environmental practices 3) Improving health and education 4)Increasing mutual understanding between the United States and Guatemala."
Leveraging Culture and Diplomacy in the Age of Information - Remarks, Tara Sonenshine, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Before the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy Washington, DC January 9, 2013, U.S. Department of State: "Cultural diplomacy is an essential component of our international leadership because we can share America’s story in so many different ways. We regularly showcase American culture for the 15 million visitors who come to our 850 American Spaces around the world – some of them large cultural centers, others modest corners in local libraries. We reach out to foreign audiences face to face, through social media, and other connective technologies. And we use cultural diplomacy to support civil society – whose practitioners are the building blocks of any free society.
When we bring the lawyers, journalists, artists, educators, and students of other countries into meaningful contact with their counterparts in our country, we can build networks on which societies can build freer futures. But we must also recognize that – as a government – we cannot do it alone. Our funding for cultural diplomacy differs from most major nations. We don’t have a Ministry of Culture or Sports or Youth. We have to rely on appropriated funds and partnership with the private sector to advance our goals. That means working with corporations, arts organizations, foundations, universities, artists, and others. By engaging the diversity of the American cultural community and leveraging all resources, we can expand and leverage our cultural diplomacy. And that helps us reach more people through the power of our ideas and values." Image from
Public Schedule: Public Schedule for January 09, 2013 - posted at rentaldepositloans.com: "UNDER SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS TARA SONENSHINE 10:00 a.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine attends the Tourism Policy Council Working Group meeting, at the Department of Commerce. CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE) 1:15 p.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine meets with representatives from Teach for All, at the Department of State. (CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE) 3:00 p.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine delivers remarks at the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy’s Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy in the USA, in Washington, DC. Please click here for more information. (MEDIA DETERMINED BY HOST)"
Department of State Public Schedule Tuesday, January 8, 2013 - posted at rockycoastnewsnhvt.blogspot.com: "UNDER SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS TARA SONENSHINE 11:45 a.m. Under Secretary Sonenshine meets with U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, at the Department of State."
American Music Abroad Cultivates Next Generation of Voices - Paul S. Rockower, washdiplomat.com: "American Voices administers the American Music Abroad program on behalf of the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Since 1993, American Voices has been conducting cultural diplomacy as a means to foster people-to-people connections. Founded with a focus on bringing American music and culture to the recently independent nations of Central and Eastern Europe, American Voices
has expanded its mission to support youth through cultural and educational programs in nations emerging from conflict or isolation. The American bands that are sent overseas participate in public concerts, lectures, demonstrations, workshops, media outreach and collaborations with local musicians." Image from
New Initiatives in Cultural Diplomacy: A Comment - John Brown, Notes and Essays: "Yesterday (January 7) I had the privilege to attend a one-hour forum, 'New Initiatives in Cultural Diplomacy,' presented by the University of Southern California Annenberg Center on Communications Policy and Leadership, the USC Center on Public Diplomacy, and the Public Diplomacy Council. 'Engagement' and 'listening' were key words in the compelling speakers' presentations. I'm not quite sure what 'engagement' exactly means; it reminds me of an over-priced ring for someone you might never marry. As for 'listening,' (sometimes used by American diplomats as an excuse not to express their, or even their government's point of view, for fear of being reprimaded by headquarters for 'speaking out'); thank God Picasso created while not waiting for anyone to have him politetly "listen" to them. Distant from the distinguished speakers' minds seemed that culture: Provides a magic moment, in and of itself, that goes beyond national/state/bureaucratic/political interests; [i]s not merely about social events that from a PR perspective have to 'look great'; [d]oesn't necessarily mean making discriminated-against persons in poverty-stricken countries feel good about themselves, an attitude reflecting a kind of missionary condescension from citizens in a 'homeland' where children get murdered in an elementary school; [is] not a state/corporate program, needing millions of taxpayers' dollars to administer, that supposedly 'brings people together[.]' In response to such utilitarian views on culture, reflecting the naive notion that the genius of artistic quality seems to have no role in works of art, I always think of the verses of La Fontaine: ['] Ô douce Volupté, sans qui, dès notre enfance,/ Le vivre et le mourir nous deviendraient égaux.['] But, as the flip side of the same 'pleasurable' coin, the inspirations of culture (please, please don't call them 'new initiatives' -- since when do 'initiatives' need the adjective 'new'?) can be terrifying and unsettling, produced by often mad outsiders who question everything, including culture itself. This 'dark' side of culture (think of Burroughs or Céline) -- part of our human condition here on planet earth -- was totally missing from our speakers' memorable wonder bread presentations."
Culinary Diplomacy Afghan Style - Heather, Adventures Around the World: A foreign service officer's tales of life abroad: "Recently the State Department launched a new culinary diplomacy initiative. Embassy Kabul launched its own version of culinary diplomacy this week when embassy employees participated in the Afghan version of Iron Chef. Our brave amateur chefs went head to head with a professional Afghan chef using the secret ingredient - turnip! Both teams had to create a soup, a main dish, and a dessert within 60 minutes using the secret ingredient.
The American team did very well and demonstrated some of the creativity of American cooking. When it came time to taste the dishes, I think the Afghan judges were a little puzzled by some unfamiliar food presented to them. But the American team's pancake dessert with a sweet caramel topping rocked! One of the judges was an FSO from the embassy. He gave his comments in Pashto, which impressed a lot of Afghans sitting around me in the audience (could this be the inspiration for a new FSI language test format?). In the end, the Afghan team had the advantage and won the title of 'Golden Chef.' Even though the American team lost, I think it was a public diplomacy victory. And I went home with a Golden Chef mug, so it was a good day all around." Image from entry, with caption: The American chefs working hard while the camera crew does its best to distract them. Note the product placement items in the foreground.
Nigeria: 100 NYSC Members Rewarded - Vera Anygafu, AllAfrica.com: "Over a hundred outstanding Nigeria Youth Corps Service members for the period of 2010 - 2011 have been rewarded with a training program by the U.S Consulate in partnership with Gordon Barrett, a Human Resource Organization, for their selfless commitment to work. The training program which was aimed at preparing them for the future to bring about a better Nigeria economy, was held at the Public Affairs Section of the U.S Consulate Lagos, and using 'The 7 Habit of Highly Effective People', the U.S Public Diplomacy Officer, Rhonda Watson, expressed the importance of determining specific goals and ways of achieving such goals through the seven habits, stating that, 'When you sow a thought, you reap an action, sow an action, you reap a habit and then from habit to change, and as young adults, you should continue to learn and teach others on how to proactively choose their responses to circumstances, rather than reacting without regard for the consequences.'"
Success in Public Diplomacy - John Matel, World-Wide-Matel: "If a survey tells me that more Brazilians have a favorable view of the U.S. on the day that I am done here than they did on the day I arrived, I don’t care. I won’t take credit for that. Conversely, if we find that opinions have declined, don’t blame me. In either case, my effort is like tossing a bucket of water into the Pacific Ocean and expecting to be credited or blamed with next year’s weather conditions."
2012 State Dept Annual Awards: Greatest Achievements in Many Fields, Mostly By Men - Domani Spero, DiploPundit: "Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Public Diplomacy: Gloria F. Berbena [:] This award recognizes significant contributions in the field of public diplomacy and the special qualities
that reflect the integrity, courage, sensitivity, vision, and dedication to excellence that were so highly exemplified in the life of Edward R. Murrow, the Director of the United States Information Agency from 1961 to 1964. The winner of the award receives a plaque presented during the commencement exercises at the Fletcher School, Tufts University. The winner also receives $10,000, which is presented at the annual Departmental Awards Ceremony held at the State Department." Image from
US Travel Association Supports Kerry as US Secretary of State - allennelsonrealtor.com: "The nomination of Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) as US Secretary of State earned praise from Roger Dow, president and CEO of the US Travel Association.
Kerry was nominated by President Obama and if approved by the Senate will replace retiring Hillary Clinton at the State Department. There are few jobs in the United States government more important to both our security and our economy than Secretary of State. In selecting Sen. John Kerry for this critical position, the President has nominated a public servant of integrity, experience and vision. Sen. Kerry will keep the United States safe in a dangerous world while also promoting American products and services around the globe . ...It is well known that Sen. Kerry has proven his skills in numerous sensitive overseas missions on behalf of our nation. In addition, he has embodied the very best in American public diplomacy by conveying so clearly that we welcome international visitors. From Bostons Freedom Trail to the California coastline, and across the great American heartland between, Sen. Kerry understands that the most effective ambassador for our values abroad is the ordinary American and the most effective antidote to strife among nations is direct engagement." Image from
Book Review: ‘Full Spectrum Diplomacy and Grand Strategy’ By John Lenczowski -
Wes Vernon, Washington Times: "The author is founder and president of the
A Republican Foreign Policy - Chuck Hagel [July/August 2004], durchnacht.wordpress.com: "The seventh and final principle of a Republican foreign policy is the importance of strong and imaginative public diplomacy. The coin of the realm for leadership is trust and confidence, and popular discontent and questioning of U.S. foreign policy intentions will undercut our efforts in the war on terrorism and initiatives in the greater Middle East. Public diplomacy initiatives require strategic direction. The answer does not lie in a flashy media campaign or more air time devoted to high-profile American performers. Instead, more Foreign Service public affairs officers are needed to engage the publics in their host countries, meet the people, listen to what they have to say, and coordinate this information into an effective public diplomacy strategy. Professional and educational exchange programs, meanwhile — the bedrock of public diplomacy for years — were set back by homeland security and visa policies after September 11. This was an understandable reaction in the short term, but renewed exchange programs and immigration reforms that pay due weight to both security and openness are now required. Public diplomacy is the link between U.S. policies and the perception of its purpose. The United States’ purpose in world affairs must always be anchored by its interests and values but balanced by the understanding that U.S. interests are not mutually exclusive from the interests of friends and allies. President Dwight D. Eisenhower put it well in his farewell address to the nation: Throughout America’s adventure in free government, our basic purposes have been to keep the peace; to foster progress in human achievement, and to enhance liberty, dignity, and integrity among people and among nations. To strive for less would be unworthy of a free and religious people. Any failure traceable to arrogance, of our lack of comprehension or readiness to sacrifice would inflict upon us grievous hurt both at home and abroad."
To counter violent extremism, focus on behaviour - Will McCants and Clinton Watts, Behavioural Dynamics, bdinstitute.org: "The months following the September 11th attacks were scary. ...It is in this context that we may turn to the US government’s strategic communication and public diplomacy efforts, both domestic and foreign, and in particular its Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) programme. In US dealings with the Muslim world, the question has often arisen: 'why do they hate us?' The answer is complex: some do, some don’t, and those that do may do so for any number of reasons. Yet too often, the reasons were debated, and the premise of the question was accepted. In fact, it is only partially relevant.
Hate is certainly not a sufficient cause of radicalization; sometimes it is not even a necessary one. Despite that, vast effort has been poured into persuading people to have favourable views of America, and negative views of Al-Qaeda. The recent FPRI research note by Will McCants and Clinton Watts on the CVE programme is therefore particularly welcome. Among other recommendations, they call for a distinction between passive sympathizers, and active supporters. It is a valuable divide. There are plenty of ranting coffee-shop jihadis, passionate in their hatred of US foreign policy and sympathetic to the aims of violent groups. They may say so in surveys, and lecture visiting journalists. They may pray for Uncle Sam’s destruction. They probably have no inclination to do anything about it. Most CVE approaches target such sympathizers. For a country founded on principles of free speech and free thinking, that is morally tricky. More than that, though, it is also wasteful, and not particularly effective at reducing the number of terrorist attacks. As McCants and Watts observe, it can even be actively counter-productive, alienating communities with a presumption of guilt. There are better ways to combat terrorism, and all of them start by focusing on behaviour, not attitudes. ...McCants and Watts also point out another flaw of the CVE programme: a tendency to export models across borders. They are quite right to say so, but they may not go far enough. Just as (in their example), different cities tackle gangs in different ways, so too must counterterrorists adjust their approach in every single community they work in. Messages must be attuned to each new group and location, drawing on detailed, laborious study of the local context. Nothing less will work. There are numerous other flaws in the CVE strategy, and in the US approach to counterterrorism in general; the FPRI note adroitly details a good many of them. McCants and Watts may well be right that it is at last time to downgrade terrorism in the list of national priorities; the current threat apparently amounts to a dozen or so new recruits a year, and an unsuccessful attack once every three years. Leaders will have to make a judgment about the level of risk. Whatever they decide, Countering Violent Extremism can be done better, and more efficiently, through focusing on behaviour, not opinions, and local contexts, not rigid strategies." Image from
Professor James Tracy: US is Allied with and Actively Supports Al Qaeda! [includes video] - socioecohistory.wordpress.com: "Q: What do you think about the role of influential American think tanks and public diplomacy and advocacy organizations such as the Council on Foreign Relations or the National Endowment for Democracy in creating unrest and instability in the countries which are opposed to the United States policies? Do you find traces of their footsteps in the ongoing violence in Syria? Do they have plans to destabilize Iran so as to realize their mischievous objective of regime change in Tehran? A: One can contend that the Council on Foreign Relations and the National Endowment for Democracy are much more than advocacy organizations. The question suggests the popular view that Western states and especially the United States are above such organizations in terms of decision making power and responsiveness to the populations they purportedly serve. This is the idealization of a transcendent governing apparatus upheld in public opinion and touted in Western mainstream media. This is the myth the CFR specifically perpetuates about itself and the liberal state. In fact, the CFR is a branch of the Royal Institute of International Affairs and it has more or less dictated US foreign policy from within entities such as the US State Department since before World War Two."
The Cold War and the United States Information Agency: American Propaganda and Public Diplomacy 1945-1989 Cambridge University Press Nicholas J. Cull - liuser.com: "Published at a time when the U.S. government’s public diplomacy is in crisis, this book provides an exhaustive account of how it used to be done. The United States Information Agency was created in 1953 to 'tell America’s story to the world' and, by engaging with the world through international information, broadcasting, culture and exchange programs, became an essential element of American foreign policy during the Cold War.
Based on newly declassified archives and more than 100 interviews with veterans of public diplomacy, from the Truman administration to the fall of the Berlin Wall, Nicholas J. Cull relates both the achievements and the endemic flaws of American public diplomacy in this period. Major topics include the process by which the Truman and Eisenhower administrations built a massive overseas propaganda operation; the struggle of the Voice of America radio to base its output on journalistic truth; the challenge of presenting Civil Rights, the Vietnam War, and Watergate to the world; and the climactic confrontation with the Soviet Union in the 1980s. This study offers remarkable and new insights into the Cold War era." Image from entry
Is GNN A PSYOP? - conspirazzi.com: "Well, the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation (PBC), while technically a part of the Palestinian Authority, receives part of its funding from the US Government. Complaints about pro-jihadi propaganda in the PBC’s television programs prompted American lawmakers to cut the station’s funds in the mid-1990′s. According to this wire report from the time: In 1995 Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat changed the structure to force the directors to report directly to him.
That’s when the United State Information Agency cut off direct funding for the station and decided to support and train individual journalists, including many who work for the PBC. But in 1997 the USIA decided to try again, providing more than $200,000 of satellite-receiving equipment after the PBC agreed to broadcast seven hours of Worldnet and Voice of America programming on American policy, society and culture. So what is this USIA which sought to strong-arm the Palestinians into broadcasting American propaganda over their airwaves? According to Wikipedia, The United States Information Agency (USIA), which existed from 1953 to 1999, was a United States agency devoted to 'public diplomacy.' The term public diplomacy ... is closely related to the word 'propaganda,' possibly synonymous with it depending on how the latter word is defined. So, the USIA was an American propaganda agency which existed from the early 1950′s until 1999, when it was absorbed into the US State Department."
“The mission of the agency is only overseas”: A Press Timeline of the Fall of the United States Information Agency - Candance Ren, Ren's Micro Diplomacy ~ public diplomacy and soft power: "During USIA’s time, the media told USIA’s story to the American public. From my research, I was not able to find consistent messaging from USIA to the American public to explained [sic] the agency and build support. However, when the agency did reach out to the public, it came across as curt and defensive . ...There are some who are still stunned that we could have shuttered such an important institution of US public diplomacy. So, dear reader, I have aimed to recreate what you, as an average American at the end USIA’s lifespan would have read about the agency in the daily press. USIA started off strong in terms of personnel and budget, but as infighting took over, the agency’s reputation was destroyed. With this impression of the agency, I doubt the average American would have defended the agency when it was placed on the chopping block. [Side note - if you are interested in the full history of the USIA, written by a REAL historian, check out Nick Cull's new book: The Decline and Fall of the United States Information Agency: American Public Diplomacy, 1989-2001.]"
Call for Papers: Selling America in an Age of Uncertainty: U.S. Public Diplomacy in the New International Order, 1965-1980 - wilsoncenter.org: "Deadline: 1 March 2013: It is becoming increasingly apparent that the 1970s constituted a profound era of transition in international affairs. The American defeat in Vietnam, the breakdown of the Bretton Woods exchange system, and a string of setbacks including Watergate, Three-Mile Island, and reversals during the Carter years all contributed to a grand reappraisal of the place of the United States within the international order. In addition, the rise of new global competitors, the pursuit of détente with the Soviet Union, and the emergence of new private sources of global power also contributed to uncertainty about the role of American power in the world. Against this backdrop of mounting domestic and international crises, America’s cultural hegemony suffered prolonged disparagement as American-style consumerism wilted in the face of concerns over the environment, over the spiritual costs of mass consumption, and over American market-oriented approaches to global justice.
The emancipatory potential of American culture, so confidently asserted at mid-century, appeared tentative in the new post-1968 world. Yet scholarship has thus far been silent about the strategies of American public diplomats to manage this 'shock of the global,' as one recent anthology has termed it. Since at least World War II, American informational and cultural programs rested on a broad consensus that promoting American culture, and explaining American intentions, should occupy a place of privilege within U.S. diplomatic practice. Yet very little analysis over how public diplomats approached their work in this age of uncertainty has appeared. We propose a conference to address this scholarly lacuna and examine the question of how U.S. public diplomacy wrestled with the changed and charged situation of the 1970s.'Selling America in an Age of Uncertainty' will be a seminar style conference with pre-circulated papers. The conveners intend to collect select papers into a published anthology. Scholars tentatively scheduled to participate include Todd Bennett, Alessandro Brogi, Nicholas J. Cull, Martin Klimke, Robert J. McMahon, Mario del Pero, Sarah Snyder, Tom Zeiler and others. The conference will take place at the Nobel Institute in Oslo, Norway, and is scheduled for 1-2 November 2013. Conference organizers are endeavoring to make available travel stipends for successful proposals. Deadline for submission of pre-circulated paper drafts is 1 October 2013." Image from entry
Case in Point - Molly Sisson, Public Diplomacy and Student Exchanges: Possibly the first study of the Fulbright Program to be conducted by someone who isn't affiliated with it in any way... - "Otto Klineberg, 'Psychological Aspects of Student Exchange' in Eide, 1970 Students as Links Between Cultures (UNESCO study) Motivations for studying abroad: -desire to learn, to acquire a particular competence or speciality -- interest in the foreign or exotic in general or in one foreign culture in particular --the hope of increasing one's status, prestige, earning capacity -- failure to be admitted to a local university (Ouch!) -- the urge to escape from an unpleasant situation or a constraining home environment --acquiescence in ambitions held by parents -- a higher evaluation of what is 'foreign' compared with what is domestic. 'The nature of the motivation may have an influence on the whole course of the sojourn abroad, and in particular on the role of the student as a bridge between two cultures.' (p. 33) Klineberg's list, while not exhaustive, shows the wide range of possible reasons why students choose to go abroad."
Agencies getting better at social tools - Camille Tuutti, fcw.com: "There is no shortage of social activity in government, but a new report finds that agencies are becoming increasingly familiar with the benefits of social platforms and discovering uses that further their missions. The Partnership for Public Service and Booz Allen Hamilton’s new study looks at how agencies use technology and social media. In interviews with 26 individuals from 12 agencies and offices, the report authors identified use cases involving Facebook, Skype, mobile applications, wikis, crowdsourcing and other social tools to support and enhance goals and missions. One of the social success stories came from the State Department. Its app for teaching English at the intermediate level in
How Federal Agencies Can Enhance Their RSS Feeds For Free - AOL Government: "The federal agency responsible for thousands of international radio and television broadcasts is using Google Currents, a free tool that potentially could be the blueprint for every federal agency distributing RSS feeds
to big audiences. The Broadcasting Board of Governors -- which oversees Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio and TV Marti, Radio Free Asia and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks -- launched the Google Currents platform last October to disseminate its content easily and swiftly to its weekly audience of 175 million in 59 languages. ... In just a few months, BBG's Google Currents has brought in over 10,000 subscribers to VOA English alone, about 7,000 to VOA Mandarin and 3,500 subscribers to Radio Free Asia, all without any real marketing. ... BBG's Google Currents is a good start for delivering services in new ways, said Mark Forman, President of Government Transaction Services and the first Administrator for E-Government and IT. ... While it is particularly useful in the public diplomacy realm, 'Google Currents lends itself to any government enterprise that uses RSS feeds to disseminate its content,' Abramson said." Image from
Shining the Light of Transparency on U.S. Public Diplomacy - Helle Dale: blog.heritage.org: "Transparency in government took a huge step forward on January 3. On that day, President Obama signed into law the Smith–Mundt Modernization Act as an amendment to the 2013 Defense Authorization Bill. With the new revision, State Department foreign programming may be broadcast in the United States, though it may not be specifically produced for American consumption. ... It is high time transparency was brought to bear on these key tools of U.S. foreign policy, and with the revision of the Smith–Mundt Act, the work can now begin. American taxpayers deserve to know what their government is broadcasting and disseminating to other countries in the name of the United States."
Masha Gessen sends a message she’s untouchable at Radio Liberty - BBGWatcher, usgbroadcasts.com: In an attempt to hold on to her job as the director of the Russian Service of Radio Liberty, Masha Gessen is trying to box the
Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) into a corner with comments to Russian media that changes initiated by her and her patron, the outgoing Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) president Steven Korn, will continue and that she will not be removed from her current position. Image from entry, with caption: Masha Gessen's redesigned Radio Liberty Russian website.
Steven Korn’s Wasteful Personal Spending at RFE/RL by Judy Bachrach in World Affairs - BBGWatcher, usgbroadcasts.com: "In one of the best investigative journalism reports on Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), a contributing editor for Vanity Fair Judy Bachrach describes in a new article for World Affairs journal the complete disintegration of the taxpayer-funded Radio Liberty combined with wasteful spending of U.S. taxpayers’ money by RFE/RL executives. Judy Bachrach points out in her article that much of the fault for the meltdown and wasteful spending at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty falls on the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), the federal agency in charge of all U.S. civilian international broadcasting, including RFE/RL, whose president and CEO, Steven Korn, has announced his resignation effective January 25. RFE/RL is based in
Radio Liberty remains in a coma – Russian journalist tells Broadcasting Board of Governors - BBG Watcher, freemediaonline.org: "Radio Liberty remains in a coma – Russian journalist Sophia Kornienko tells Broadcasting Board of Governors [:] 'The only way to help Radio Svoboda [liberty - JB]
escape clinical death is by removing the malicious tumour of its management installed there by Steven Korn [.]'" Kornienko image from entry
In (another) op-ed about VOA Persian, (another) critic suggests "a clear slant in favor of Iran" - Kim Andrew Elliot reporting on International Broadcasting: Elliott comment: "Over the past few years, we have seen many op-eds and commentaries about VOA Persian. Some are written by inviduals apparently unhappy about the paucity of face time they are getting on VOA Persian. What is needed is not another op-ed, but a comprehensive news investigation, including analysis of a generous portion of VOA Persian content. Perhaps the real argument here is whether VOA Persian should be a news service or 'opposition media.' To assuage the many critics of VOA Persian, the United States might eventually have two channels directed to Iran: one that provides news, the other an anti-regime outlet. The audience in Iran can then decide which channel better serves their needs."
Is BBG looking out for or exploiting its non-U.S. citizen employees? - BBGWatcher, usgbroadcasts.com
VOA officials tried to ban reporter from the UN and limit public disclosure, emails show - BBGWatcher, usgbroadcasts.com: "Official emails posted online by Inner City Press reporter Matthew Lee confirm previous reports that Voice of America executive editor Steve Redisch tried to have Lee’s press accreditation at the United Nations revoked. Redisch sent a formal request to a UN official asking him to 'review' Lee’s status as a reporter."
BBC World News will unveil "dramatic new look" as BBC aspires to be "world’s best international news provider" - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting. [Elliott comments:] "The BBC aspires to be 'the world’s best international news provider,' while the US Broadcasting Board of Governors aims to be 'the world’s leading international news agency by 2016' (see previous post). Let the competition begin.
But USIB will not begin to compete with the BBC until the War of the Entities is concluded, USIB is consolidated, partnerships are forged with
CCTV (in 6 languages) and Radio Free Asia provide their respective "facts about self-immolation" in Tibet - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting
New book calls for funding BBC World Service from the UK overseas aid budget - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting
Roundtable analyzes China's public diplomacy efforts - Zhang Fang, china.org.cn: "Although China's public diplomacy efforts have run into obstacles over the years, great progress has still been made, international students and Chinese experts said at a recent roundtable in Beijing.'The concept of public diplomacy only appeared in China since 2001, but it has built certain mechanisms and theories ever since then to promote communications and exchanges with outside world,' said Zhang Ping, vice president of Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs, at the forum. The Confucius Institute and Chinese media have done a lot to establish a new image for China and increase communications in many different ways with people from other countries, said Wang Yingwei, professor of Renmin University of China. China's public diplomacy focuses on four different targets, including western world like the U.S. and the European Union, neighboring countries, and developing and emerging countries, he said, through talks and exchanges among governments, societies and peoples. However, the achievements of public diplomacy meet difficulties when they are overshadowed by political events, such as territorial disputes, said Shen Xin, secretary general of the China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development. Shen said China and Japan are two countries with a long history who have tried very hard to reduce tensions by founding national associations in each others' countries. 'But since the Diaoyu Island incident happened, the [fruits] of these efforts suddenly disappeared,' he said. Nine University of Southern California (USC) students majoring in public diplomacy also participated in this meeting. Hu Shaocong, one of the students, asked about how China's public diplomacy dealt with disputes like Diaoyu Islands.
In response, Shen said that public diplomacy efforts mainly work through people to people exchange, as opposed to through direct exchanges by government agencies. ... The roundtable, themed 'The Present Situation and Prospect of China's Public Diplomacy,' has been hosted by the Charhar Institute, a nongovernmental think bank based in Hebei Province on Thursday in Beijing." Image from article, with caption: Students from the University of Southern California (USC) participated in a roundtable discussion with Chinese experts concerning the future of China's public diplomacy on January 10, 2013 in Beijing.
Editorial: Destined To Fail - China’s Soft Power Push - Zachary Keck, thediplomat.com: "In a little noticed event on New Year’s Day, China inaugurated its first non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of soft power—China Public Diplomacy Association (CPDA). Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi attended and spoke at the unveiling ceremony for the group, which elected as its president Li Zhaoxing, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of China's National People's Congress. Addressing the group after the vote, Li told its members that the CPDA would mobilize and coordinate 'social resources and civilian efforts' towards the goal of 'promoting
remains at its core fearful and paranoid. Few people are attracted to, much less want to emulate, those they consider fearful or paranoid. Which is why, despite China’s ancient history of soft power, and the soft power individuals like Ai Weiwei command, modern China’s soft power will remain limited under the current political leadership." Image from article
Rising China, Rotten Diplomacy: No Game-Changer in Sight - justrecently.wordpress.com: "[O]ne shouldn’t expect the China Public Diplomacy Association to become a game-changer. It’s nice for the (public) diplomats that the 18th National Congress – referred to by Yang Jiechi as quoted within the article translated below – gave public diplomacy a mention in its report. But if that’s something to celebrate, it sheds a sad light on the discipline as a whole. No wonder that Zhao Qizheng, director of the CPPCCs foreign affairs committee, longs for the good old days of Zhou Enlai‘s “convivial diplomacy” (official, semi-official and people-to-people diplomacy). Zhou, after all, was a member of the politburo’s standing committee – and for the first nine years after the establishment of the PRC, he was also its foreign minister. In the 1970s, foreign relations were still a job for the top, and in February 1979, Deng Xiaoping celebrated the improving Sino-American relations with an attack on Vietnam. We probably have to see the inaugural session of the China Public Diplomacy Association in the light of those glory days – it’s a contrast that doesn’t make either official or unofficial diplomacy look important these days."
a screenwriter of the film company in Beijing - huntlanka.com: "Chinese government and society should further increase investment in international volunteer projects to improve the level of training of volunteers,but the action is random, but also the ability to enhance their cross-cultural communication and public diplomacy."
FM press conference on Dec. 31 (Full Text) - xinhuanet.com: "Hua Chunying started the press conference ... [Hua Chunying:] 'China's diplomacy made steady progress against all odds in 2012. There was one highlight after another in Chinese leaders' attendance at major diplomatic activities.
We have advanced our relations with our neighbours, other developing countries and major countries in the world in an all-round way. We have played a positive and constructive role on international and regional hotspot issues. We have taken solid steps to promote public diplomacy and people-to-people exchanges. We have also resolutely safeguarded national sovereignty, security and development interests. In doing so, we have created a favorable external environment for the success of the 18th National Congress of the CPC and the full implementation of the '12th Five-Year Plan'.' " Image from article
Pyongyang 'shows goodwill' to US - Zhou Wa and Li Xiaokun, China Daily: "A former senior US official who wrapped up a visit to Pyongyang with Google's chairman on Thursday said the message they sent about expanding use of technology there was 'well received'. Bill Richardson, a former New Mexico governor and a former US ambassador to the United Nations, said they had been invited to return, which experts read as a signal of Pyongyang's goodwill toward the US and the outside world, and that the trip might create a new model of future interaction with Washington. ... Also among the nine-member group was Google's chairman Eric Schmidt, the highest-profile US business executive to visit the country since DPRK leader Kim Jong-un took power one year ago. Despite the visit being described as private, commentators suggested it could by no means be considered completely independent from the Obama administration. ... Wang Junsheng, a researcher in East Asian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the trip sent a strong signal of goodwill from Pyongyang to Washington. The visit had been criticized for appearing to hijack US diplomacy and boost Pyongyang's profile after the DPRK's recent rocket launch.
The US State Department had criticized the trip as 'unhelpful' at a moment when Washington is rallying support for UN Security Council action against Pyongyang. 'Pyongyang has long sought to improve relations through unofficial ways,' Wang said, and added that he was sure the US had been involved. 'The US is very good at public diplomacy, and high-ranking figures of US Internet companies have long kept close ties with the government.' He said the trip should be seen as a positive step toward the two nations getting to know each other better." Image from article, with caption: Bill Richardson, former governor of New Mexico, is surrounded by journalists as he walks into the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing on Thursday.
Eric Schmidt Doesn’t Have a Grand Strategy for North Korea. He Just Likes Playing Diplomat - Lydia DePillis, The New Republic: "No corporate executive's movements are tracked with as much rumor and fanfare as those of Google chairman Eric Schmidt. ... Like those of a secretary of state, Schmidt's peregrinations can be split into two categories: Those where he is going to directly negotiate with global officialdom over something that pertains to Google, like meeting with the European Commission's chief antitrust regulator or the president of France. I... And then there are those that appear simply as goodwill tours, to places like Israel, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, with Schmidt appearing as the Internet's ambassador-at-large. These are missions with a long view—the public diplomacy, the soft power. Visiting censorious nations is a statement that the Internet finds its way across borders, with or without the government’s approval. That’s true even in North Korea, which has broadband Internet but restricts access to an elite few.
Park needs sophisticated ‘envoy diplomacy’ for China ties - theasian.asia: "The incoming Park Geun-hye administration should adopt a pretty sophisticated 'envoy diplomacy' to patch up strained ties with China, while continuing to carefully steer Seoul’s alliance with the United States, said Shin Gi-wook, the director of the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center at Stanford University. ...KT: With China, what would be your specific 'to-do' list? Shin: I would suggest that Park deploy an active public diplomacy to enhance the Korean public’s understanding of China and vice versa with the Chinese about Korea.
Establish a high-level strategic dialogue with China. Seoul can also consider a trilateral meeting with the U.S. and China. If that’s difficult, Seoul can begin with a 'track-2' (civilian) dialogue and move into 'track 1' (governmental) dialogue. Finally, I hope Park concludes a free trade agreement with China." Image from entry, with caption: Rep. Park Geun-hye, left, talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing in this 2008 file photo
Business Focus ASEAN 2013 - acuns.org: "Following the great success of the previous employability boosters; the Business Focus ASEAN (BFA 2009, BFA 2010and BFA 2012), in which the EXP fellows compared and contrasted two fascinating countries of the South-east Asia by linking the best of the public diplomacy and business-related networking, the BFA is pleased to announce the first call for participation in: BFA 2013: 03-22 SEP 2013 – one week in Bangkok (Thailand) and one week in either Singapore or Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), plus 3 more days without additional charge in Bali."
Netanyahu and Israel's Crisis of Democracy - Ben Caspit-monitor.com: "Ron Prosor is one of the most distinguished ambassadors in the history of the Israeli Foreign Service. He was the No. 3 man at the embassy in Washington. He was director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under Silvan Shalom; he was a highly respected ambassador to the United Kingdom, and he is now in charge of Israel's public diplomacy efforts as Israel's permanent representative to the United Nations. These days Prosor has another political edge: He is a right winger. Par excellence, articulate, free thinking. He doesn't belong to the ideological right. He's not a settler and is not religious, but he is a proud, sane and eloquent member of the Israeli right. In other words, an asset to Israeli public diplomacy, an asset to the Israeli right, and an asset to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman, who appointed him to his current position. About two weeks ago, Prosor participated in an event in
America’s White Male Pathology - cmaukonen, my.firedoglake.com: "TarheelDem January 7th, 2013 at 8:29 pm53 In response to Ohio Barbarian @ 52 Explanation of the new and shiny buzzword: Hasbara is a form of propaganda aimed at an international audience, primarily, but not exclusively, in western countries. It is meant to influence the conversation in a way that positively portrays Israeli political moves and policies, including actions undertaken by
used in the past by the Tourism Ministry in campaigns urging Israelis to show a hospitable approach to tourists. ... Ohio Barbarian January 7th, 2013 at 8:40 pm55 In response to TarheelDem @ 53 Ah. There’s an older Russian word which does the same thing. Translated into English, it’s 'disinformation.' Hasbara sounds more like a snack. Maybe the Israelis should stick to snacks. They’d certainly be more popular if they did. ... In response to Ohio Barbarian @ 52 O. Thought you was kiddin. Is you tryin’ to goad me? Here’s an amusing excerpt: I have used the word 'Hasbara' pretty freely recently, and so do more and more people, without stopping to explain what it actually means. The use of this term has been widespread in Israeli Hebrew for many years now, usually with a positive meaning, though not always in a positive context – there is a never-ending debate on 'the failure of Hasabra' – yet I often wonder how many people outside
No trouble at all: Talented students at the Artik Music School in Yehud cover Taylor Swift’s "I knew You Were Trouble" - David Brinn, Jerusalem Post: "Taylor Swift knew it couldn’t be trouble. On the contrary, when she saw the YouTube clip of 50 young Israeli music students performing her pop mega-hit 'I Knew You Were Trouble' in a hard rock orchestra format complete with a guitar army, she posted on the homepage of her website and tweeted that the clip 'makes me so happy.' Almost 600,000 viewers of the clip, performed by students from the Artik School of Music in Yehud, have had the same reaction since it was uploaded in late November. ...It’s no surprise that even those seasoned entertainment professionals were taken with the clip – it’s hard not to love, from the powerful live performance captured by nine cameras to the effervescent and attractive Israeli teens hitting guitar power chords, to the female chorus singing Swift’s lyrics with a tinge of an Israeli accent, to the particularly camera-friendly young drummer with his hair flailing away to the beat. It could be the greatest three minutes of hasbara (public diplomacy) since Claire Danes touted Tel Aviv as the most happening city in the world."
HAFTR [High School] Students Visit Israeli Consulate - haftrtattler.com: "A group of HAFTR seniors had the privilege of visiting the Israeli Consulate in New York City on Thursday, January 3. The students were selected from their respective Zionism classes to have the opportunity of a private meeting with the Consul of Public Diplomacy, Gil Lainer, his colleague Shani Rosanes, and UN Israel Mission Speechwriter Nathan Miller. ...After arriving at the Consulate, students were guided to a special briefing by Consul Lainer.
The Consul discussed the pressing PR issues facing the State of Israel. Current public perception of Israel is that of a war-torn desert.Many people fail to recognize the agricultural, technological, and medical advancements taking place in Israel. The challenge Israel faces is bringing those advancements to the world. While not ignoring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the goal is to make the public aware that there is more to Israel than meets the eye. For example, millions of people use USB flash drives every day. Few people realize that they are an Israeli creation. The goal is to make the world understand what Israel does to make the world a better place. Many people hear about Israel in the news but have no clue what really happens in Israel. This is a major challenge Israel faces." Image from
Abridging A War of Words: Gazans Learn Hebrew - Michael Todd, Pacific Standard: The Associated Press’s Diaa Hadid reports that a leading university in
Hotovely: The New Young Face of the Likud - Mazal Mualem, monitor.com: "The eve of Nov. 26, about a month and a half ago, was very special for MK Tzipi Hotovely. It was on that date, close to midnight, that the results of the Likud primaries were publicized, and she became the party’s First Lady. ...
[Hotovely]: 'I will be happy to accept any position that the prime minister will confer on me. The position most suitable for me is that of Minister of Public Diplomacy [hasbara] and Diaspora Affairs. That really speaks to me. I have a personal affinity for those issues.' Hotolevy image from article
Accessing The Bible With 21st Century Technology - Aryeh Savir, algemeiner.com: "The Bible, the best-selling book in history, is transitioning into the 21st century. An online project which intends to produce the first grassroots Bible, Tanakh b’Mirshetet (The Bible Online) has uploaded the entire Tanakh online. Each of its 23,127 verses is awaiting a participant that chooses a verse on the site, and may dedicate it, or indicate why they chose it. The final objective is to get 23,127 people to select one verse each, thus having a complete Tanakh annotated on the internet by the Israeli public. ...The site is currently in Hebrew, and four other versions are planned – English, French, Spanish, and Russian.
The website launched in April 2011 as part of a global project run by The Bible Valley, a non-profit organization, in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry and the Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Ministry. In the project, hundreds of thousands of people from around the world, of all faiths, copy the Bible in their own handwriting, in 100 languages." Image from entry, with caption: A Torah scroll
Teaching the Art of Public Speaking: Trained opera singer and CAS alum now a communication specialist - Andrew Thurston, bu.edu: "Your heartbeat seems to be clocking 150, your throat feels like parchment, and your brow has channeled its inner
consultant Allison Greenspan Shapira has an arsenal of cures for your symptoms. The former opera singer runs Global Public Speaking, a firm that helps 'people become more powerful, more authentic public speakers.' ... After graduating from BU, she worked for the Israeli government as a director of public diplomacy (she’d interned at the Consulate General of Israel to New Englandduring college) and was told she’d be giving speeches on behalf of the consulate." Image from article, with caption: Opera-student-turned-communication-consultant Allison Greenspan Shapira sings the national anthem at Fenway Park in September 2004.
Turkey Analysis: A Big Opportunity? Ankara's Talks with Imprisoned Kurdish Leader Ocalan - Ali Yenidunya, enduringamerica.com: So Turkish authorities have been speaking with the imprisoned leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, since last month. ...
Ocalan's submission to the European Court of Human Rights in 2009 ... proposed a PKK cease-fire in
return for public diplomacy efforts for 'peace' Government; a general amnesty after the PKK moving its fighters outside Turkey; and, finally, the democratisation process with return of exiles and PKK disarmament. Image from entry, with caption: PM Erdogan and PKK Leader Ocalan
Catalan Independence and Sub-State Public Diplomacy - Sean Aday, takefiveblog.org: "Although it hasn’t garnered much attention in the
The latest incident came Sunday when Spanish Defense Minister Pedro Morenes said that the military was 'prepared' in the face of 'absurd provocations,' presumably referring to recent calls for
Det norske omdømmet: Promoteringa av den norske staten overfor omverda sidan 1945 er knapt utforska. Det er på høg tid at det vert gjort - Svein Ivar Angell,aftenposten.no: Mention of public diplomacy, Joseph S. Nye, and soft power.
Asia Society's Young Leaders Build a Movement at Dhaka Summit - Tom Nagorski, asiasociety.org: "One by one they came to the microphones, some gingerly, some with great gusto, each with a remarkable story to share. The speakers were members of the Asia Society's Asia 21 young leaders program — rising stars
from more than 20 nations, representing a kaleidoscope of professional backgrounds. They had gathered for a three-day conference in
Success Stories -- Raizcorp: Allon Raiz - entrepreneurmag.co.za: "Raizcorp [:] ... Today the business is arguably the most successful incubator in South Africa, and one of the few profitable incubators in the world ... . Judith McHale, the past United States Under-Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, visited Raizcorp
and lauded it as a 'model for Africa' and Raiz has been invited to address numerous organisations and government bodies around the world on incubator and entrepreneurship strategy." Raiz image from article
Women Changing Lives - Posted by rogers, Women Changing Lives: "VP – Indian Council for UN Relations (ICUNR) and Executive President – Kashmiriyat Preservation Foundation (KPF. ...My current work with the Indian Council of UN Relations, which is a registered CSO (Civil Society Organization) devoted to promoting the mandate of the
UN at the country level encourages me to strive towards peace building, developing bilateral and multilateral relations with other countries by our public Diplomacy initiatives in the areas of international relations, trade, commerce, art, culture, etc." Image from entry
Turkey – Another story on use of fraudulent digital certificates - chainsoff.wordpress.com: "About chainsoff
Public Diplomacy, Extensive real-world connections and personal relationships with political, business, media, and military leaders throughout USA, Russia, China, Poland, North Africa and the Middle East, Analysis of North Africa and Middle East issues, Analysis of insurgency and irregular warfare in the Arab world News Media Consultant and Liaison Media Rights Broker Full Member of International Public Relations Association (IPRA) www.ipra.org Member of Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium www.trackingterrorismconsortium.org." Blogger's image from her blog
Spare Times for Jan. 11-17 - Anne Mancuso, New York Times: "Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum: Book Talk on Hitler’s Rise (Thursday) Andrew Nagorski, a former journalist and author of 'Hitlerland: American Eyewitnesses to the Nazi Rise to Power,' will speak about his book at 7:30 p.m. Mr. Nagorski is vice president and director of public policy at the EastWest Institute, a public diplomacy nonprofit based in New York City."
Jan Meek – a Guinness World Record acquisition for PIELLE Consulting - "Triple Guinness World Record holder and motivational speaker, Janice (Jan) Meek joins the international management communication team of PIELLE Consulting in an exciting new move for the company’s training and event management business. Jan earned her place in the Guinness World Records after successfully rowing the Atlantic with her MP son then ten years later racing with him to the Magnetic North Pole’ following that up in 2008 with a walk to the Geographic North Pole. ...According to Jan 'my new role as a director of TRONIX Training Ltd (TTPL) enable me to exploit my background in fund raising, motivational speaking and event management to the full. It will combine perfectly with TRONIX’s already well established reputation in management capacity building, public relations and public diplomacy training, management communication training.'”
Skiing for Public Diplomacy! - Abbie Ray, Center for Cultural Interchange: The Greenheart of Cultural Exchange: "As the weather cools down, the resorts are only just heating up! Skiing season is underway all across the United States. Resorts have opened their doors for local skiers as well as thousands of tourists that will enjoy a weekend away riding the slopes and enjoying firelight dinners.
The history of skiing dates back almost to 600 BC in Daxing’anling which is now modern day China. Skiing did not become commercialized however, until the early 1800s with the first known ski jumper, Olaf Rye, in 1809. In 1936, the first chair life was introduced in Sun Valley, Idaho. Skiing has become a part of American culture and not to mention a great way to enjoy the cold weather!" Image from article
About PCDF - audiplomatist, thediplomatist.com: "The Public and Cultural Diplomacy Forum provides a venue for the discussion of issues related to public diplomacy, cultural diplomacy, and the increasing centrality of new media technologies to novel forms of collaborative diplomacy. The PCDF features events and publications on issues that draw from the interests of faculty, students, and conversations in related fields of study – including diplomacy studies, culture and media studies, international communication, and foreign policy analysis. As a forum, the PCDF draws attention to salient topics related to research and practice and provides an opportunity for scholars and practitioners to share their experience and their research work with both students and a broader community."
Disaster Management Delegate (Grade 3) Background: Jobs in Africa, Offres d'emploi en Afrique: "The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world's largest humanitarian network, reaching 150 million people each year through its 187 member National Societies. ...Purpose of position: Reporting to the Regional Disaster Management Coordinator, the Disaster Management Delegate will ensure overall guidance and support to the implementation of the regional, medium-term DM strategic plan/framework, co-ordination of the Federation's support to DM within the region. ...Knowledge and Skills: ...Excellent communications skills and public diplomacy."
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Karzai faces an altered landscape in talks with Obama: The Afghan leader wants to ensure a U.S. role after the 2014 pullout of foreign troops, but the White House is looking at shifting to a covert strategy like that used in Pakistan - David S. Cloud and Alexandra Zavis, Los Angeles Times: Battling a potent insurgency and waning support in Washington, Afghan President Hamid Karzai will meet President Obama on Friday amid signs that the White House seeks to transform the ground war in Afghanistan into a conflict similar to the current covert war in Pakistan. The Obama administration has maintained pressure on Islamist militants who operate in Pakistan's lawless border areas through the use of targeted drone strikes against individuals and small gatherings, vast infusions of military and financial aid to the government in Islamabad, and a mostly hidden U.S. military and CIA presence. Obama is likely to follow that light-footprint model in Afghanistan after most or all U.S. troops withdraw by the end of 2014, according to officials familiar with current White House thinking. Battling the Taliban will no longer be part of the U.S. mission, officials said.
Zero Dark Afghanistan: Karzai's dysfunction meets Obama's detachment - Review and Outlook, Wall Street journal: Afghan President Hamid Karzai visits the White House on Friday, and he was given an early welcome this week with a statement that the U.S. may withdraw all of its troops from the country in 2014. If both sides aren't careful, that's exactly what will happen and the result won't be pretty for anyone but the Taliban, al Qaeda and Pakistan's Islamists.
U.S. policy and troops in Afghanistan - Ronald E. Neumann, Washington Post: Without some continuing U.S. support, civil war and fragmentation are likely to engulf
Afghanistan, destabilizing Central Asia as neighboring powers are drawn to safeguard their own interests and providing a breeding ground for extremism. Image from article, with caption: Life and war in Afghanistan: Jan. 2013: Photos of everyday life in Afghanistan as coalition forces attempt to transfer responsibilities to Afghan troops.
Don’t Close Guantánamo - Jennifer Daskal, New York Times: Guantánamo in 2013 is a far cry from Guantánamo in 2002. Thanks to the spotlight placed on the facility by human rights groups, international observers and detainees’ lawyers, there has been a significant, if not uniform, improvement in conditions. The majority of Guantánamo detainees now live in communal facilities where they can eat, pray and exercise together. If moved to the United States, these same men would most likely be held in military detention in conditions akin to supermax prisons — confined to their cells 22 hours a day and prohibited from engaging in group activities, including communal prayer. The hard-won improvements in conditions would be ratcheted back half a decade to their previous level of harshness.
Again, the tug of global retreat - Fred Hiatt, Washington Post: If the United States retreats too quickly and too far, history will reach out to grab us back. It may happen soon, with an Israeli attack on Iran, a Syrian wielding of chemical weapons or — most likely — some calamity we have not foreseen. It may happen after Obama has retired. Either way, it will give rise, as it did in 2001, to resolutions that, this time, we have learned our lesson — this time, we won’t come home before the job is done.
It’s Us: Hillary Clinton’s Legacy - Peter Van Buren, We Meant Well: This blog has documented concerns about Hillary Clinton as a leader.
Highlights include her glee over the death of a world leader (Qaddafi) overthrown without real point by the U.S. (a decision that coupled with the lack of leadership within her State Department led directly to the unnecessary deaths of Americans), that lack of leadership thing within her State Department led directly to the unnecessary deaths of Americans, her often trite and casual traveling about as if miles logged had some greater meaning and so forth. Image from
Al Jazeera America detractors say "Congress must inject itself into the matter," etc. - Kim Andrew Elliot reporting on International Broadcasting
Neocons Promote Iranian Propaganda In Anti-Hagel Campaign - Ben Armbruster, thinkprogress.org: The neocon smear machine failed to prevent Chuck Hagel’s nomination as the next Secretary of Defense as President Obama announced on Monday that the former GOP senator is his choice to succeed Leon Panetta at the Pentagon. Fresh off their defeat, it seems like the neocons are getting desperate in their efforts to derail Hagel’s bid. The Iranians today responded to the Hagel nomination and used it to take a backhanded slap at the
Netanyahu's anti-Iran remarks repetitive propaganda: Iran MP - presstv.com: A senior Iranian lawmaker has downplayed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent anti-Iran remarks as insignificant and aimed at concealing Tel Aviv’s failures.
Netanyahu told Israeli diplomats on Thursday that “Iran remains the number one threat” and that Israel was determined to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. “These slogans which lack practical support are propaganda methods used by Netanyahu and his associated [Likud] party to cover up the weaknesses
and political failures of the occupying Zionist regime in domestic, regional and Mideast affairs,” Hossein Sobhaninia, member of Iran Majlis National Security and Foreign Committee, said on Tuesday. Above image from entry; below image from
Propaganda or news? Associated Press names Jerusalem an “Israeli” city - Ali Abunimah, electronicintifada.net: Image from article, with caption:
A Palestinian man and his son walk in front of the rubble of their house after it was demolished by Israeli occupation authorities in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of al-Tur on 5 November 2012.
Propaganda is Syria's most powerful weapon - gulfnews.com: While Syria’s state-run news outlets run a steady stream of reports about “terrorists” and international conspiracies against President Bashar Al Al Assad, opposition activists roll out their own endless barrage of footage highlighting atrocities and destruction by regime forces, with little in the way of context.
With media access difficult or impossible in most of the country and no tradition of balanced journalism, reliable, objective coverage of Syria is scarce. Image from article, with caption: Men help a wounded person after a missile hit Aleppo’s Al Mashhad district on Monday.
Are Chinese internet service providers quietly resisting propaganda and censorship? - J. Angelo Racoma, e27.sg: China is famous not only for its cultural heritage and newfound economic power.
While the country boasts of the biggest number of Internet and mobile users to date, the so-called “Great Firewall of China” is also enforced to filter and control the flow of information both within the country’s borders and across — a practice that authorities say is meant to prevent illegal activities and to enforce its jurisdiction within geographic borders. But what’s quite surprising at this point is that some service providers seem to be employing some delaying tactics in filtering or censoring content, giving time for the message to spread out before being removed from the source. Image from article
“Russia Today” Outed as State-Funded Propaganda Machine - Posted by Whitewraithe, pragmaticwitness.com: Russia Today (RT), considered a member of the alternative media, receives its funding from the Federal Budget of Russia as allocated by the Federal Agency on Press and Mass Communications of the
Just When You Thought Soviet Propaganda Was Dead - Ronald Radosh, Wall Street Journal: The search for a usable past has been taken up in a new form by filmmaker Oliver Stone and historian Peter Kuznick in both their Showtime television series, "Oliver Stone's Untold History of the United States," and in the accompanying book of the same name. In discussing the TV series, Mr. Stone says in the first episode that he wants to counter the view that "we were the good guys" by telling the story of America "in a way that it has never been told before." The series' treatment of the Vietnam War, for instance, is intended, according to Mr. Kuznick, to show that the U.S. had moved so far "to the dark side" that "we were the wrong side." One of the authors' main goals is to tell Americans that the Cold War with the Soviet Union was unnecessary and avoidable: The Cold War happened only because President Roosevelt dropped the exemplary Vice President Henry A. Wallace off the ticket at the 1944 Democratic convention and replaced him with the villain of their series, Harry S. Truman. If Wallace had assumed the presidency when FDR died, they explain, he would have recognized Stalin's just demands to have friendly nations—such as Poland—on Russia's borders, thereby carrying on FDR's wartime policy of cooperation with the Soviet Union. Instead, the authors argue, within two weeks of taking office, Truman needlessly angered the Russians, rejected attempts by Stalin to carry on an amicable relationship with America, and proceeded on a warlike path that turned the U.S. into an imperialist and dangerous national-security state.
"This is war propaganda, and you are the target" – Alex Kane, desertpeace.wordpress.com: Pamela Geller is once again conducting an underground campaign of hate. For the second time activists are giving her Islamophobic message a makeover … "This is war propaganda, and you are the target" –latest anti-Muslim subway ads get another makeover. The latest installment of anti-Muslim advertisements
put out by Pamela Geller have gone up in New York City subway stations. But they have quickly received a makeover, just as the last batch did. Activists plastered stickers over the ads that read: “This is War Propaganda, and You’re the Target.” Image from entry, with caption: At the 50th Street subway stop in Manhattan, another one of Pam Geller’s ad is plastered with a “warning” sticker. It reads: “This is War Propaganda. You’re the Target”
Propaganda Posters for the Modern Age - Miss Cellania, It's a pity that these are at all necessary, but artist Ted Slampyak has filled a void with vintage-style propaganda posters for mobile phone use.
There are six in all at The Art of Manliness. Someone pointed out that the people who need them are unlikely to heed them, but maybe such posters would let my kids know that I'm not the only one who is offended by their phone habits.
Art, Propaganda and Death in Ancient Rome - Roderick Conway Morris, New York Times: Marcus Aurelius, thanks to his “Meditations,” has gone down in history as the ideal Roman philosopher-emperor. Yet his contemporary public image in art remained that of the warrior, as can be seen in the busts and reliefs in a subsequent section of the exhibition of “Historical Reliefs,” which continues the theme of this art as propaganda.
AMERICANA
The U.S. ranks 1st in death by violence - rankingamerica.wordpress.com: According to the National Academy of Sciences, in 2008 the United States had a death-by-violence rate of 6.47 per 100,000 people. That is enough to make the United States rank first out of seventeen “high-income democracies” ranked in that category.
The second-ranked country was Finland, with a death-by-violence rate of 2.24 per 100,000. Image from article
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