April 7

"'Comrade Brezhnev, is it true that you collect political jokes?' — 'Yes' — 'And how many have you collected so far?' — 'Three and a half labor camps full.'”

--Vadim Nikitin, "The Apocalyptic Return of Russian Political Humour," russia.foreignpolicyblogs.com; image from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Obama is using a balanced approach to advance U.S. Libya goals - Dick Virden, minnpost.com: "Obama has set course to get Gaddafi out by employing some of the other tools of statecraft, rather than by sending an American military expeditionary force. He's used diplomacy effectively to get the United Nations Security Council, NATO and the Arab League to endorse action against Gaddafi, including establishment of the no-fly zone and seizure of some $30 billion in assets. Economic sanctions were also put in place, making it tougher for Gaddafi to re-supply his forces. Obama engaged in high-level public diplomacy as well, particularly with his March 28 speech to Americans — and the world — a persuasive (if slightly overdue) use of the bully pulpit to advance policy goals. ... No one can tell where and when the next crisis will appear, but we can deduce some things about how Obama will deal with it: His default preference will be for diplomacy over war; he will try mightily to act together with allies, rather than alone unless there is a direct, specific threat to the United States; he will defend development and humanitarian assistance as wise investments, valuable preventive medicine and in keeping with the American instinct to help people in need; he will define specific goals, then try to advance them by drawing on all the tools of statecraft — diplomacy, military force, covert action, economic carrots and sticks, public diplomacy, foreign aid, intelligence, law enforcement — not any single instrument. ... Dick Virden, Plymouth, is a former foreign service officer who taught national security strategy at the National War College."  Image from

Music In The Time Of Extremism‎ - Julie McCarthy, NPR:

Image: Zeb Bangash sings at a performance coordinated by the U.S. Embassy, with caption: The two musicians [Bangash and guitarist Haniya Aslamare; see other image] are competing to tour the United States, part of a State Department cultural exchange. The U.S. has spent millions on public diplomacy in Pakistan.

Nigeria: US Emphasises Girl Child Education As Key to Development - ‎Prisca Sam-Duru, AllAfrica.com: "The education of the girl child has been described as key to National development as the importance of education and the role it plays in the advancement of women cannot be overemphasized. The Public Diplomacy and Cultural Officer with the United States Consulate General, Peter Piness who made the assertion during the 2011 Women's Day celebration held at the Consulates' Public Affairs Section, Lagos, noted that despite the fact that many Women occupy positions as Heads of States in Ireland, Finland, Liberia, India, Argentina , Lituania, Kyrgyzstan, Costa Rica, Brazil; other outstanding positions as the Chancellor of Germany and the Prime Minister of Australia and have made some progress all over the world, vast inequality still exist in many other sectors especially the political sector."

US Congressional Committee Questions Role Of US-Funded Broadcasters‎ - Richard Solash, RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty: "Is U.S. government funded international broadcasting living up to expectations? Or, as Representative Dana Rohrabacher (Republican, California) has put it, 'Is America's Overseas Broadcasting Undermining our National Interest and the Fight Against Tyrannical Regimes?' Rohrabacher told a standing-room-only hearing that he was concerned that U.S.-funded international broadcasters, which are overseen by the presidentially appointed Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG),

might be putting too great an emphasis on objective news reporting and not enough on the promotion of American values and interests. 'First and foremost, American strategic communications and public diplomacy should seek to promote the national interest of the United States through informing and influencing foreign audiences,' Rohrabacher said. "This is often referred to as 'the war of ideas.' The role and responsibilities of the Broadcasting Board of Governors is not only journalism.' ... Rohrabacher's subcommittee is part of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which has been led since January by Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Republican, Florida). As chair of that powerful committee, she has pledged to examine U.S.-funded internationally focused entities -- including the State Department and United Nations -- with an eye toward sharp reforms. In a May 2008 article published in the 'USA Today' newspaper on U.S. broadcasting into Cuba, Ros-Lehtinen was quoted as saying that Radio and TV Martí's programming should support Washington's position above all. 'It is not a 'Let's have all this diversity of thought,' she said. 'The mission is clear: It's to advance our U.S.-Cuba policy.' ... Critics of Ros-Lehtinen's stance argue that putting a premium on journalistic integrity and objective reporting is a better way to advance U.S. interests in the long run. ... S. Enders Wimbush, a Broadcasting Board governor who testified at the hearing, said U.S.-funded media entities are effectively challenging the world's authoritarian regimes. Why else, he asked, would the governments of countries like China and Iran be working so hard to block them? ... Philo Dibble, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state overseeing Iran policy, noted that just as U.S.-funded media outlets devote more resources to the Internet, the State Department is also realigning its focus. ... Also testifying at the hearing was Robert Reilly, a former director of Voice of America. He said that the goal of U.S. broadcasting was once to provide listeners with hope, something that cannot be achieved by reporting the news. 'Reliable news was always a part of U.S. broadcasting, but the mission was never reduced to just that,' Reilly said."  Image from

Can Someone Explain This? - John Trattner, Public Diplomacy Council: “'One part of the U.S. government has anti-censorship technology, but no money to expand its use. Another part of the U.S. government has money for anti-censorship technology but hasn’t spent it.'

This was columnist Anne Applebaum, writing April 5 in the Washington Post. Her subject was free international access to the Internet." Via PF. Trattner image from article

Documentary by VOA editor shows that cricket in the USA is not such a silly notion -  Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

Turkmen authorities confine RFE/RL contributor to a psychiatric hospital - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

VOL. VII NO. 7, March 25-April 7, 2011 - The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media:

"US Interests in the Arab Spring Skepticism is on the rise both within and outside the Arab world regarding the Obama administration’s policy conduct following the recent uprisings, and how it will potentially redefine the Middle East.

Libya: Uncharted Diplomacy Libya’s current turmoil has resulted in a series of controversies, particularly regarding the United States’ decision to intervene militarily and the role of the rebels in the country’s future. The rebel’s alleged affiliation with Al-Qaeda and ability to fulfill the citizens’ demands remain to be answered.

Qur'an Burning Inflames Muslims in Afghanistan After Pastor Terry Jones followed through with his Qur'an burning, both Muslims and non-Muslims protested his actions. In Afghanistan, mass demonstrations resulted in casualties, prompting observers to debate how the United States government should respond.

Uncertainties Prevail Following Arab Spring The recent uprisings in the Middle East have the world questioning whether true reform will ensue or a cycle of corruption will be renewed.

Al-Jazeera Coming of Age Although officially denounced by the Bush administration as a radical propagandist news station, Al-Jazeera’s continuous coverage of the recent Arab uprisings has garnered popular attention, both in the international community and by some observers in the United States.

Arabs Increasingly Trapped by Web While the advent of the Internet has redefined the modern world, censorship throughout numerous Arab countries is becoming a major inhibiter in allowing individuals to access information and is often used as a propagandistic tool by regional dictators.

Americans Praise Al-Jazeera, Despite Limited Access Although Al-Jazeera is gaining international popularity, only three US cities stream the channel daily. Calls by Americans for greater access to its news coverage is taking place, despite the controversy."  Image from

Baby, I'm in the Mood for Hu -  Laura McGinnis, manIC: "Protest rocker Bob Dylan performed a government-approved set in Beijing this week. As the Washington Post reported, 'There was no 'Times They Are a-Changin’' in China. And definitely no 'Chimes of Freedom.' ... Dylan

is of course an individual citizen and not a public diplomat. He's an artist and to some extent a businessman. Nonetheless, as a global celebrity, he is viewed as a representative of the United States and his actions contribute, even in a small way, to global attitudes. Cultural exports like Dylan have more to do with Soft Power than with Public Diplomacy, but I'm curious about what his compromise suggests about both his and the nation's brand.' Image from article 

The new public diplomacy - Andrew Carr, lowyinterpreter.org:

"Earlier this week, my colleague Fergus Hanson released a new paper 'The new public diplomacy', making three arguments about the social media sphere: 1.New communications platforms are different: While old forms of communication (TV, radio and print) involved one speaker communicating to many via gatekeepers, new platforms are now far more democratic. Accordingly, new strategies will be required to grow and cultivate online audiences. New ways of communicating, in language, tone and even content apply. 2.Audiences and debates are moving online: And this means a different time frame. Whereas in the past, a single carefully crafted press release could lead tomorrow's coverage, in the online world governments and diplomats need to be constantly part of the discussion. This will require hiring full-time social media correspondents, as the UK Foreign and Commonwealth offices, Pentagon and US State Department do (the latter including nine full-time Arabic-language bloggers, two Farsi bloggers and two Urdu bloggers) 3.New solutions to old problems: While this sounds like a lot of additional hard work for already overburdened departments, the new platforms can also help reduce the diplomatic workload. Google's 'people-finder' for example, helped quickly identify people missing during the recent Japanese earthquake, and let them make contact with authorities and people at home. Likewise, crowd-sourcing can employ whole societies to fight problems (such as identifying corruption or abuse). As Fergus argues: 'E-diplomacy is not a boutique extra for foreign ministries and increasingly will be central to how they operate in the 21st century. Digital platforms will require cultural change, but they also promise a wide range of benefits, whether that is taking a much more active role in managing their public diplomacy messages or engaging audiences that were previously out of reach. For DFAT {Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade], it is high time to act.'" Image from blog

Understanding Ankara: Turkey’s Resurgence Amidst Regional Unrest – Sabahat Khan, eurasiareview.com: "Though Western and indeed even regional media has not attached massive significance to the role of Turkish diplomacy in the unrest gripping the region, Ankara has been about as active as any international player throughout. As Turkey has turned its attention to the Middle East,

it has invested significant political capital into building partnerships with important actors in the region. Ankara has altered its public diplomacy strategy to cater more strongly, perhaps even centrally, for the Middle Eastern/Islamic audience. A clear strategic vision combined with the ability to read Arab public opinion as well as it has until now has given Ankara the foresight to anticipate potential threats offset by recent developments and position itself as a force to contain them." Image from

Azerbaijan To Blacklist Turkish Cypriots For Karabakh Trip - Armenialiberty.org: "The Azerbaijani government said on Wednesday that it will likely blacklist prominent Turkish Cypriots who have visited Nagorno-Karabakh to take part in a seminar on conflict resolution without its permission. The round table was organized in Stepanakert at the weekend by the London-based peace building group International Alert. It reportedly involved six Cypriot politicians, scholars and human rights activists representing the ethnic Greek and Turkish communities of the divided island. The guests shared with Karabakh Armenian officials and civil society members their experience in inter-community dialogue. They also discussed the impact of mass media and public diplomacy on the unresolved conflict in Cyprus."

Israel PR head's English language barrier - thejc.com: "Ronen Plot, the Director General of the Ministry of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs - the agency tasked with co-ordinating Israel's hasbarah efforts worldwide - embarked on a trip encompassing both US coasts and the major European capitals. According to the ministry, he was due to meet 'opinion-makers, Jewish community leaders, government officials and media organisations.' But there was an embarrassing detail in the [Ministry's] press release, concerning Mr Plot's language skills: 'He speaks only Hebrew and Russian'.

After the release was published the ministry responded, saying that the director-general was travelling mainly to meet 'Russian-speaking' communities and that his English was 'of conversational level, not at the level of lecturing'. No word, though, as to the qualification of a non-English speaker for a key job in explaining Israel's positions to the world media. ... His is not the only questionable PR appointment. Last Sunday, the government confirmed the appointment of Gidi Schmerling as the head of the National Hasbarah Directorate, in addition to his position as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's official spokesperson. A former journalist on the Maariv daily, Mr Schmerling's previous experience was mainly as spokesperson at Jerusalem City Hall, but he has little international experience. One insider at the office said that 'he was personally approved by Bibi's wife, Sarah, and that is what counts.'"  Image from

Dreaming in Hebrew, Facing Deportation‎ - Kirk Simon, Forward: "The film ['Strangers No More'] follow[s] a year in the life of the Bialik-Rogozin School in southern Tel Aviv, a school comprised largely of the children of immigrant workers, its students hailing from 48 countries. Many of the children are fleeing economic distress, political adversity and even genocide. Their parents work very hard for minimal pay, some have arrived in Israel formally seeking refugee status — all are seeking a better life. With tremendous effort and dedication, the Bialik-Rogozin School provides the support these children need to recover from their pasts and rise above their present circumstances. The film portrayed the school as a haven of multicultural diversity. At a screening of the film at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque this past January, a former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Dan Gillerman, said, 'There can be no better hasbara [public diplomacy -- brackets in article] than this movie, to show what type of country we are and what type of country we can be. At the same screening, former prime minister Ehud Olmert emphatically stated: 'We must not allow these children to be deported."

Students, new goodwill envoys - Jayanth Jacob, Hindustan Times: "The foreign ministry has struck upon a new idea to win friends and influence people to boost India's image across the world. From Ivy League universities and colleges in the US to top institutions in China, all Indian embassies and missions abroad have been instructed to organise India-centric competitions and events and use social networking sites to engage with bright young minds with a view to win their support.

Top Indian educational establishments such as the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay and the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad will also be roped in to boost the effort. 'Principally, it's leveraging social networking tools and reaching out to the youth and engaging them for India,' said Navdeep Suri, joint secretary with the external affairs ministry's public diplomacy division." Image from

India sees EU as a model for 'even' development - euractiv.com: "India's relations with the European Union currently remain a predominantly bilateral affair between New Delhi and London, Paris or Berlin. But Indian politicians believe the EU is a model from which they could seek inspiration from when it comes to evening up development across its regions. EurActiv reports from New Delhi. 'The European Union used the structural funds to inject fresh capital and investment into areas that lagged behind. We need to do the same in India,' said Jayant Prasad, former India Ambassador to Afghanistan and currently Special Secretary in Public Diplomacy at the Ministry of External Affairs."

Branding for the global stage: Indian multinationals are not doing enough to be recognized and respected across the globe, shows survey - Gouri Shah & Abhilasha Ojha, livemint.com: "Brand building

should follow the strategic blueprints of the company, according to Amit Shahi, chief executive and co-founder of theIdeaWorks, a communication, design and strategy firm specializing in place branding and public diplomacy. If the company has to venture into new geographies, the communication strategy must follow suit, explains Shahi, adding that brand recall catalyses the acceptance of a company in a foreign market."  Image from

Re: Britain - the root of all the world problems  - defence.pk: "Britain should fix the mess she caused !Original Post By Hafizzz  they are not that 'Great' anymore.if they were "Great",we would never heard such statements from them.they are concentrated on public diplomacy nowadays. @xdrive1 at first,i thought its [sic] an anglophobic thread but obviously its [sic] not."

Social Power in International Politics (New International Relations) - delicioushamblog.co.cc: "[T]his book: Focuses on the key aspects of social power: centrality, complexity, and comprehensiveness. Examines the complex relationship between soft and hard power, the role of the media, and new communications technologies.

Explores the interplay between state and non-state actors in framing the public discourse, setting the agenda, molding identities, and ultimately determining the outcome of policy processes. Features a broad range of international case studies and addresses issues including: culture and pop culture, media, public diplomacy, and branding." Image from article

The 21st Century Public Diplomat, continued - Ren's Micro Diplomacy: Cites the "2006 report on the Department of State’s language shortfalls abroad – especially in light of current budget constraints."

Celebrity Diplomacy - SV, Public and Cultural Diplomacy E: A reflective group blog by students on the Public and Cultural Diplomacy module at London Metropolitan University:

"[C]elebrity diplomacy is something worth looking at. Even though it is less or more successful depending on the area of diplomacy efforts, it is a worthy source to use for addressing global problems. It is not the only source though, and not too much emphasis should be put on the absolute importance of celebrity diplomacy, but as an alternative and additional channel very useful. Public Diplomacy in the 21^st century is different, and celebrity diplomacy reflects this new era of the importance of ‘networking’ by all necessary actors, not just states." Image from article

Final Project – Master of Public Diplomacy Program - Ren's Micro Diplomacy: "Hard to believe, but I’ll be graduating from the University of Southern California’s Master of Public Diplomacy program in 37 days. It’s been a fantastic couple years – I’ve grown a lot, learned more than I expected, traveled to six countries, developed this little blog and met many great friends. When it came to choosing a final project that reflected much of what I’ve learned, I

knew what I wanted to do right off the bat. My summer Vietnam experience, and the PD lessons I took away, were so profound that I had to share it with other students. So, I planned a research trip for four other MPD student to Ho Chi Minh City. Part educational exchange, part PD research, we met with a variety of leaders in government, business and NGOs, and I had the opportunity to manage a large scale, complex project from start to finish." Image from article, presumably of its author.

Maryruth Coleman: "Current U.S. Economic Priorities" - events.tufts.edu: "Ms. Coleman is the Director of the Office of Economic Policy Analysis and Public Diplomacy (EPPD) in the Bureau of Economic, Energy and Business Affairs (EEB). She leads a team that shapes and galvanizes EEB’s public diplomacy outreach, manages Washington’s relations with the U.S. Mission to the OECD, and provides analysis on key economic issues to the Under Secretary and Assistant Secretary for Economic Affairs.'

Jobs in Delhi: Environment Consultant required at World Bank, New Delhi, April 2011 - jobsnopportunities.blogspot.com: "The candidate should have experience in developing and utilizing development communications as a tool;

be well versed in public diplomacy, outreach and dissemination; and have a proven track record in delivering results and taking initiative."

RELATED ITEMS

Would Ike Have Gone to Libya? American foreign policy has come to favor action over moderation - Peggy Noonan, Wall Street Journal: Ike, the old hero of World War II, resisted great pressure to commit U.S. forces in the Suez Crisis and, later, the rebellion in Hungary.

Keeping Ahead of Qaddafi -  Editorial, New York Times:  In a war where rebel ground forces are struggling to train and organize themselves, and foreign ground forces are out of the question, specialized American planes provide a unique and needed asset. Mr. Obama should make them available to NATO commanders now.

Assessing the balance of TV news from the Arab world - Greg Johnson, upenn.edu: From the moment fruit vendor Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in Tunisia, marking the beginning of the current Arab uprisings, the Al Jazeera television network has dominated news coverage of the region, reporting on the revolts from all angles, with correspondents in different locations and news crews in all the hot spots. While the state-owned media in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya continued to broadcast government propaganda, Al Jazeera—launched by the government of Qatar in 1996—aired demonstrations and protestor demands. They interviewed journalists, poets, intellectuals and students fighting to overthrow the repressive regimes. Marwan M. Kraidy,

an associate professor in the Annenberg School for Communication, says that although he doesn’t credit Al Jazeera with causing the rebellions, the channel has had a decisive role in disseminating unfiltered information. Kraidy image from article

Polarization, Propaganda and Prejudice :: FOX's 3P Mission :: - Mohamed Khodr, usa.mediamonitors.net: Murdoch and News Corporation are propaganda patsies for Israel and the Republican Party.

China's Former Defense Minister Predicted World Domination - Lev Navrozov, newsmax.com: It is a dual reality that had been awaiting those born in Russia, after it had become Soviet Russia. Why did the word “Russia” figure into the name of post-1917 Russia — “Soviet Russia”? The Soviet culture-propaganda had a dual vision of Russia. On the one hand, Russia was so bad that its replacement with the “Union of Soviet Socialist Republics” was the greatest achievement of world history.  This “Union” was to occupy the entire world. On the other hand, that horrible old Russia, overthrown by Soviet arms, had produced amazing operas (performed in the opera houses left by that old Russia), unique plays, and music and literature worthy to be called classical.

Vietnamese Dissident Jailed‎ - Voice of America:  A Vietnamese dissident and legal scholar from a prominent family has been sentenced to seven years in jail for allegedly attempting to subvert the Vietnamese government. Cu Huy Ha Vu is charged with calling for the dissolution of Vietnam's ruling Communist Party, advocating a multi-party system, and characterizing the Vietnam War as a civil war.

According to news agency reports, Mr. Vu told the court, "I did not commit the crime of spreading propaganda against the state. This criminal case was invented against me. This case is completely illegal." Image from article, with caption: Cu Huy Ha Vu is escorted by policemen after his trial at a court in Hanoi April 4, 2011. Vu, a legal scholar who sued Vietnam's prime minister and called for an end to one-party rule, was sentenced on Monday to seven years in prison.

Music and the Cold War - Charles Rosen, New York Review of Books: [Full article only available by subscription] The claim that the prestige of American modernism is basically due to the programs of the CIA and the American government is simply a warmed-up version of a French theory of some years ago that the success of American Abstract Expressionism was due to a conspiracy of art dealers, aided by official American propaganda.

This was inspired by indignant patriotic panic at the replacement of Paris by New York for a few years as the major center of artistic innovation and interest. The principal expression of the attack was a book by Serge Guilbaut; the title is sufficiently explanatory and indicates the level of the argument as well: How New York Stole the Idea of Modern Art: Abstract Expressionism, Freedom, and the Cold War (1983). Via PS. Image, with caption: Elliott Carter (right) with William Glock, who as head of music at the BBC from 1959 to 1973 was one of the most important advocates of modernist music, at the back entrance of the Royal Albert Hall, London, 1985

Designing Activism: Graphic Arts, Propaganda and the Green Movement - dexigner.com: Propaganda got a bad rap in the 20th century, but the term was originally neutral.

It may be that propaganda is precisely what is needed if we are to mobilize to save the environment as we know it. Image from article