
--Evgeny Morozov, Foreign Policy; Morozov image from
NEW PUBLICATION
Beyond Bullets: Strategies for Countering Violent Extremism, Center for a New American Security
ANNOUNCEMENT
Scientific, Academic, Engineering Groups Praise Administration Visa Efforts, Urge Further Steps, EducationNews.org
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
Strength on Display:

Obama Decides To Move Confrontation With Israel Away From The Glare - M.J. Rosenberg, TPM Café: Comment by reader Dan K: "Whenever the United States is engaged in any public diplomatic pressure against any country whatsoever, the leaders of that other country will attempt to rally their people to resist the pressure by railing against the interference by foreigners. That just goes with the territory. If the United States is disposed to cave at the first sign of such an entirely predictable backlash, then it might as well give up coercive public diplomacy altogether. But that hardly seems like a rational course of action."
More on Democracy

Presidential Policy: Does It Make the Grade? - James Carafano, posted at ACT Northern Virginia/Richmond/DC Metro Chapter: "President Obama’s speech in Cairo proved to be the number one national security story last week, part of his public diplomacy effort to build alliances in the Islamic world and deter Islamist extremism. The speech received generally good reviews in here at home and overseas. There are real questions, however, on whether it did much to advance U.S. security or our national interests. … [T]he president said something to please almost everyone on extremely controversial subjects. Though these speeches may serve to solidify his personal popularity, they also create high and unrealistic expectations, while offering no new proposals to make the nation safer."
Iran's Election and U.S. Foreign Policy -

President Obama's Nominee to be Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific: Dr. Kurt M. Campbell, Nomination to be Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Statement before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Washington, DC June 10, 2009 – U.S. Department of State: Campbell: "The elements of U.S. power -- hard and soft -- and American influence are broad and multi-faceted. Our stepped up engagement must be so as well. We have enormous opportunity to engage not only governments but also East Asian societies more intensively and creatively, with both traditional tools and new technologies. If confirmed, I will urge our diplomats to take every opportunity to reach out to the people of the Asia-Pacific region through a robust public diplomacy program.'"
Man Behind Iran Policy Faces Big Task: Ross Is Seeking Engagement

Dishing Democracy: Satellite TV Spurs Evolutionary Democracy in the Arab World - Marda Dunsky, PBS: "As an agent of indigenous and evolutionary change, Arab satellite broadcasting plays a key role in democratization of the region — and as such is also particularly relevant to American interests and policy goals in the Arab Middle East and, by extension, throughout the Muslim world in the post-September 11 era. Since 2001, the Bush administration … utilized military intervention and public diplomacy to advance the goals of democratization, nation-building and winning hearts and minds in Arab and other Muslim-majority nations. Results of these policies, however, have been mixed."
The future of “Public Diplomacy 2.0” - Evgeny Morozov, Foreign Policy:

Social media benefits trump security fears - Hollis Templeton, Medill Reports: Washington: "In fact, social media can be an asset to the national security community. 'Some of the best lesson-learned sharing, the best idea generation has come from military people using social media to talk to each other,' said Dr. James Jay Carafano, a senior research fellow who studies national and homeland security issues at the conservative Heritage Foundation. … 'Actually some of the most effective public diplomacy has involved people in the military sharing their thoughts and experiences,' Carafano said. Colleen Graffy, former deputy assistant secretary of state for public diplomacy, used Twitter on trips to Romania, Moldova, Iceland, Croatia and Armenia to introduce herself to foreign audiences before she arrived."

US Department of State Reports on Situation with Freedom and Democracy in Belarus: Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor -- Advancing Freedom and Democracy Reports, May 2009 – Belarus live: "To counter anti-U.S. propaganda disseminated by government controlled media, the United States prioritizes engaging society with public diplomacy and assistance programs that promote openness to democratic values, human rights, independent media, the rule of law, and free, fair, and transparent elections."
AIDS Quilt Comes to Africa - donnellyglobe, Science Speaks: HIV & TB News: "[T]he AIDS Quilt [is] the 22-year project that has so far memorialized the names of 88,000 people who have died from AIDS. … For Castillo [Ray Castillo, who is head of public affairs at the US Embassy in Namibia], who had requested the quilt, the experience of the AIDS quilt is important professionally – and personally. 'This is the sort of thing in public diplomacy we like to do – cultural exchanges that allow people here to connect to people in America,' he said."
Russia’s New Rules for Global Competition - P. Stobdan, Analyses, Institute for Defence Studies:

Cdw C'era: Con Il Ministro Frattini Presentato "Il Viaggio", 4 Documentari Sui Percorsi Di Fede - Clandestinoweb.com: "[I]l Ministro degli Esteri Franco Frattini … [h]a … auspicato che la Rai si faccia sempre più promotrice della cultura della pace, in particolare in Medio Oriente: e nel progetto firmato da Franco Scaglia, Frattini ha colto 'un nuovo inizio', con l'impegno della Rai a farsi 'strumento di public diplomacy in grado di proiettare fuori dei nostri confini l'immagine di un'Italia che vuole lavorare per la pace: e' questo - ha sottolineato il ministro - il vero ruolo del servizio pubblico radio televisivo'."
Lord Kinnock to resign after four and a half outstanding years as Chair of the British Council - finchannel.com: "Neil Kinnock has taken the personal decision to step down as Chair of the British Council, the UK’s international body for cultural relations. …

Albany Associates, colan, NewsCola: "Albany Associates is a UK-based, internationally-focussed company with a strong track record in delivering communications and public diplomacy strategies."
Dr Chihombori saga: bad news mishandled - Zimbabwe Guardian: "The Movement for Democratic Change party led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai owes the people of Zimbabwe an explanation over the 'real identity' of Dr Arikana Chihombori. … The internet was awash with rumours that she was the PM's girlfriend. It turned out, apparently, that she was his niece. ... Thus far they [the Movement for Democratic Change] have muddled themselves up in half-truths and mindless counter statements and their public diplomacy is in tatters."
What is nation branding? – esevin, Theory: "Hi, this is Efe Sevin. I am a visiting scholar in Emerson College (Boston, MA, USA) nowadays under the Fulbright program. With a background of international relations, current studies in political communication and being a 'Fulbrighter' as an occupation, I spend most of my time working on nation branding, public diplomacy and political communication concepts."
Congratulations Michelle! - The Michelle Kwan Forum - News and Information: "Also in previous months, Michelle ... : … met with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to talk about her on-going role as public diplomacy envoy."
Are Diplomats Necessary? – Dhruva, Polaris:

Today’s career Prep - Ren’s Micro Diplomacy: "No work today, so here’s the reading and watching with which I filled my day: three chapters of the Routledge Handbook of Public Diplomacy, part two of Frontline’s DVD 'Bush’s War' and the May issue of The Atlantic."
RELATED ITEMS
A few reactions to Obama’s speech to the Muslim world - Scott Kistler, Tempora Christiana
Not Quite a Right Turn in Europe - Harold Meyerson, Washington Post:

Is Barack Obama going against a global tide by trying to make American capitalism a bit more social democratic while Europe's social democratic parties sputter and wheeze? Few on the European right would say so. Even their conservatives view America's deregulated economy not only as inhumane but also as a threat to global, and European, economic stability. Image from
Can The One Have Fun? - Maureen Dowd, New York Times: The right signal is Michelle and her daughters being charming ambassadors, “gobsmacking” the town, as a British tabloid put it, by scarfing down fish and chips at a London pub for £7.95 (about $13), like regular tourists. What a relief to have an urbane, cultivated, curious president who’s out and about, engaged in the world.
Required Reading: 100 Years of COIN: What new have we Learned? - Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner
Get Your North Korean Propaganda Goodies From CafePress While They're Hot - The Cajun Boy, Gawker:

Pretty Persuasion: Pumped Up Propaganda of the Past - Steve, WebUrbanist: Propaganda, presented graphically as posters, pamphlets and pictorial artwork, aims to influence the attitudes of people to serve the purposes of the propagandists. Governmental guerrilla marketing in a sense, propaganda also has its good side: it can inspire and unite people behind a worthy cause. Here are 13 examples of propaganda showing it at its best, worst and purest.
10 Funniest 1950's Propaganda Films - Bill Doty, Big Stupid Idiot
3 comments:
Hey, thanks for linking to my blog!: Ren's Micro Diplomacy. I read your posts every day and was shocked to see mine along with all the great ones you list. Thanks for collecting the PD news; you are providing a great resource to the community.
I'd like to hear your thoughts on the ever changing landscape of US-African relationships. I think there will be a new "Race for Africa" in the 2010's only this time it will be investment.
I've attempted to map the relationships between the US and African countries. I welcome your comments to make the map more accurate and to help in this important discussion!
US-African Relations Map
Quite worthwhile info, thank you for the article.
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