Sunday, April 10, 2016

A Facebook note on public diplomacy to former in-country colleagues at an American Embassy... (slightly edited)


John Brown Storytelling--"narrative" -- is the new viral definition (especially cited by Pentagon-affiliated experts in "strategic communications") of what "public diplomacy" should be. Of course, nothing is new under the sun: USIA's [1953-1999] putative goal was "telling America's story to the world" http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ609886  -- but those of us who had the privilege to enjoy practicing "public diplomacy" "in the field" (to use the Washington, D.C. term about FSOs "misbehaving" abroad) had the honor of working with immensely professional, wonderfully talented in-country colleagues, felt that such an activity was far more complicated -- and challenging -- (sorry, I meant amusing) than just "telling a story." smile emoticon 

It also involved, believe it or not, trying to tell the "truth." (Ask Plato what that is?).

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