"The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time."
--F. Scott Fitzgerald; Fitzgerald image from
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
Obama and Netanyahu Meet Again - challahhuakbar.blogspot.com: "Instead of public diplomacy, the president should run silent and deep. No deadlines, no big speeches, no threats. Quietly see what Bibi and Abbas will put in your pocket on the big issues; see where Palestinian unity goes and where the Arab
spring is headed. For now, keep your powder dry and revisit your big speech later in the year. It may come in handy as an alternative vision of how to actually produce a real state through negotiations rather than the virtual one the Palestinians are planning at the United Nations." Image from
When Obama Meets With Netanyahu - Aaron David Miller, New York Times: "There’s talk of Obama giving a big speech and laying out American ideas on the Middle East after the Netanyahu visit. But it’s debatable whether that would change anything, particularly in the wake of the Fatah-Hamas union. It’s also not a great idea from a negotiator’s point of view to lay out American ideas and principles when they can be picked apart and devalued months before talks could begin. Instead of such public diplomacy, the president night try to see what he can get out of Netanyahu privately in exchange for a joint strategy against Palestinian statehood, and then try to work — again, quietly — with Mahmoud Abbas. It’s an uphill battle." See also (1) (2).
Obama Embraces His Inner Bush - Walter Russell Mead, the-american-interest.com: "President Obama’s speech to State Department employees today was billed as a major address on recasting American foreign policy in the Middle East. It lived up to its billing. President Obama has deep-sixed the ‘realism’ that marked the first two years of his approach to the Middle East. He has returned to the foreign policy of George W. Bush. ... In Power, Terror, Peace, and War, I wrote that the Bush administration had articulated a post 9/11 national strategy for the United States that was not only right, it was inescapable.
But the Bush administration’s tactical errors and profoundly wrongheaded public diplomacy undermined support for those policies at home and abroad. President Obama has long hesitated between the idea that Bush had the wrong strategy and the idea that the strategy was sound but that the tactics and presentation was poor. He seems now to have come down firmly on the side of the core elements of the Bush strategy. This frankly is more or less where I thought he would end up; American interests, American values and the state of the region don’t actually leave us that many alternatives." Image from article
Nothing new from Obama's #MEspeech? - Yelena Osipova, Global Chaos: "In short, the President did a good job - again - in giving an eloquent speech and attracting attention and press. However, the expectations were very high, while he delivered nothing significantly new. Great attempt, and yet he seems to have achieved very little. Perhaps if he didn't have all that preceding fanfare, he might have done better...? At least the disappointment would have been smaller. After all, true public diplomacy is not what you say, but what you do. And more importantly, what the other sees that you do."
After bin Laden: End the Public Diplomacy Apology Tour - Helle Dale, Heritage.org: "The global reaction to the death of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden must have taken the Obama Administration by surprise. While not 100 percent positive, the reaction to the terrorist mastermind’s killing by U.S. Navy SEALs has been one of great international relief. ... The President should take advantage of this opportunity by reasserting U.S. leadership on the world stage rather than, as is his wont, bowing to global sentiments about American decline. ...
Having taken dramatic military action, President Obama is now planning to follow through with a public diplomacy push to the Muslim world. ... It will be the second time the President has attempted public diplomacy outreach to Muslims, the first being his 2009 Cairo speech, which was woefully short on policy follow-through. This time, the President ought to [inter alia]: ... Take the opportunity to promote his message on Voice of America (VOA). In the past, the President has spoken on Al Arabya, the BBC World Service, and South African television. This time, it has to be VOA’s turn." Image, with following obscene title: "Michelle McGee: Sandra I’m Sorry I F**ked Your Husband And Embarrassed The Hell Out Of You While Ruining Your Oscar Moment."
Heritage Foundation: "This time it has to be VOA's turn" for Obama interview (updated) - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting
Not that You Asked, But ... - Laura McGinnis, manIC: "Let's make the VOA The Exclusive Medium for Obama's message, then stand back and watch the fun as all the major U.S. networks discover that Smith-Mundt prevents them from disseminating VOA content produced for foreign audiences."
Interviews with President Obama: BBC 2, VOA 0 - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting: "Some at VOA are dismayed that this is the second time President Obama has been interviewed by BBC (the previous one, in September 2010, was with BBC Persian), even though he has granted no interview (so far) to VOA. The new BBC interview, however, is
Radio Dirooz (Yesterday) blog launched in Iran to "review and criticize" Radio Farda (Tomorrow) - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting
New VOA initiatives focus on Democratic Republic of Congo - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting
Not all viewers of Arab TV networks develop anti-American feelings - Jeff Grabmeier, physorg.com: "Research based on surveys of nearly 20,000 residents of six Arab countries suggests that while watching networks like Al Jazeera fuels anti-American feelings in some viewers, it actually reduces such sentiment in others. The results suggest that it is too simplistic to blame the Arab media for stoking resentment and hatred of America, said Erik Nisbet, lead author of the study and assistant professor of communication at Ohio State University. ... Nisbet conducted the study with Teresa Myers, a post-doctoral researcher in communication at Ohio State.
After bin Laden: Top Five Agenda Items for Obama’s Middle East Speech - James Carafano, James Phillips , Sally McNamara and Helle Dale, WebMemo #3257, Heritage Foundation: "The President must be unapologetic about exerting American leadership and unequivocal in his support for democratic reforms and advocacy for human rights. He must also advocate economic freedom that will advance critically needed growth and opportunity. In particular, the Administration should step up its half-hearted support for peaceful opposition movements in Iran and Syria. Furthermore, foreign aid and public diplomacy programs that are not delivering results must be jettisoned, and resources should be focused on efforts that make a difference."
What Obama Should Say to the Muslim World: The prevailing narrative among Muslim communities is that the U.S. is trying to destroy Islam and humiliate and marginalize Muslims - James K. Glassman and Juan Zarate, Wall Street Journal: "[T]he true narrative is that there is an epochal conflict occurring. It is not a 'clash of civilizations,' as Samuel Huntington described the confrontation between Islam and the West, but rather a 'clash within a civilization'—that is, within Muslim communities themselves. ... The message that Americans will continue to help the forces of pluralism and moderation should have been the focus of President Obama's Cairo speech two years ago. Unfortunately, the president played into the prevailing narrative,
Jones rekindles foreign aid debate - Abby Phillip, Politico: "Nearly 64 years after Harry Truman laid out the case for reconstructing Europe’s economies, in a speech that became known as the Marshall Plan, few diplomatic, economic and foreign policy accomplishments have garnered such residual feelings of goodwill and accomplishment in the United States. Now, days ahead of President Obama’s major address on the Middle East, former national security adviser Jim Jones,
Transition and Reform in Morocco - Fact Sheet, Office of the Spokesman, U.S. Department of State: "We continue to voice support for Morocco’s reforms, and their implementation, through domestic and foreign press outlets. We use public diplomacy programs to promote dialogue, engage Morocco’s vibrant civil society, encourage a responsible media, and increase understanding of democratic values."
Citizen Public Diplomacy in Afghanistan... - Mahtab Farid, Public Diplomacy in Afghanistan: "Coming up on this Blog... Series of new public diplomacy stories in
Afghanistan..." Image from blog, with caption: Two Afghan girls share a smile and friendship in Samar Orphanage
Bulgaria: President Signals A Mek Decision Is Close - quemeperdonen.com: C O N F I D E N T I A L ... E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2010 ... SUBJECT: BULGARIA: PRESIDENT SIGNALS A MEK DECISION IS CLOSE Classified By: Ambassador John Beyrle ... ¶8. (C) COMMENT: President Parvanov,s White House visit has been extremely successful in ensuring Bulgaria,s continuing cooperation on a number of high-profile issues. The Government is clearly moving toward the MEK mission, although concern remains about public reaction. We will continue to track the government's discussion, encouraging a positive decision and developing a public diplomacy strategy that minimizes negative public response. END COMMENT."
How will WikiLeaks impact public diplomacy? - Sandip Kumar Singh, Beyond the Line.......Awakening India: "WikiLeaks may have pointed out missteps that have brought American public diplomacy into disrepute, but it has also offered a potential path to rehabilitate it by insisting on a more transparent engagement with the rest of the world based on a search for win-win outcomes to non-zero-sum games."
W and L Students Attend NATO Event by Special Invitation - Washington and Lee University News Office: "A group of 14 Washington and Lee students got a Spring Term bonus last week: a special invitation to hear NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen in Washington. Rasmussen was in the capital as part of a one-week, four-city,
Security Challenges in XXI Century: Summer School a Praga per Luglio - scambieuropei.com: "The Prague Security Studies Institute, in cooperation with NATO’s Public Diplomacy Division, is pleased to announce
its 7th annual Summer School entitled 'Security Challenges in XXI Century.'" Uncaptioned image from article
Obama not well prepared for test - Emanuele Ottolenghi, Jewish Chronicle: "When it comes to the region, speeches have become substitutes for policy since, so far, speeches may be all that President Obama can show for in his first term. ... [I]t was Obama's choice to turn the settlements into a fetish - thus playing straight into the hands of Palestinian intransigence. It was his choice to renege on the commitments made to Israel by his predecessor - thus eroding Israeli confidence in America's role. And it was his choice to create a self-imposed deadline for Palestinian statehood in September 2011. The Palestinian decision to refuse to engage in any meaningful talks with Israel since March 2009 and pursue instead a unilateral strategy of statehood through the UN is a by-product of all the above. Obama may succeed in offering his voters reassurances while making Netanyahu's exercise in public diplomacy futile. But the moment of truth is coming and by September we will know whether a president who thought he could bring peace to the region will end up presiding over its descent into renewed conflict."
Palestinian refugees are a threat to Israel's existence - Israel Harel, Ha'aretz - "Benjamin Netanyahu ... ought to argue that the United States, being the UN's principal financial supporter, bears great responsibility for the failure to solve the problem of the Palestinian refugees. Had it not financed a significant portion of UN Relief and Works Agency's budget from 1950 to the present, the problem would have been solved long ago. ... This American aid, Netanyahu should stress, is financing one of the most evil and strategically sophisticated plots of our times: cultivating entire generations, millions of people, with one primary goal - destroying the
Danon calls for Israeli satellite TV in English, Arabic - Rebecca Anna Stoil, Jerusalem Post: "The Foreign Ministry’s budget for public diplomacy totals approximately $3.5 million per year, MKs learned during a Tuesday morning meeting of the Knesset’s Immigration, Absorption and Public Diplomacy Committee. A ministry representative presented the data in the course of a session held to discuss how Israel deals with Nakba narratives presented domestically and overseas, and how Palestinian propaganda impacts Jews in the Diaspora. Daniel Zonshein, director of the Foreign Ministry’s public diplomacy department, said the ministry frequently acts in discrete channels, offering support in ways that are not necessarily outwardly visible. His department’s budget totals some NIS 40m., but only around NIS 12m. ends up dedicated to public diplomacy activities at Israel’s dozens of embassies and consulates, he said. 'The [Foreign Ministry budget] is really just change, especially when divided among all of the offices throughout the world. Today, [public diplomacy] is the central front, and lectures at overseas universities, Facebook pages and interviews in Arabic are worth as much and have as much impact as a tank – and sometimes even more,' Committee Chairman Danny Danon (Likud) said. Danon called on Zonshein to demand more money in his department’s budget, but Zonshein said the Knesset ultimately determines the ministry’s budget. The committee chairman said Jews in the US and France are 'afraid to assert their presence at some universities because of Arab propaganda.' Danon called on both the Foreign Ministry and the Diaspora Affairs Ministry to 'go from defense to offense” and repeated calls for the establishment of Israeli English and Arabic-language satellite television.'"
Lindenstrauss submits State Comptroller report to Knesset - Ron Friedman, Jerusalem Post: "State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss submitted a 61-chapter report to Knesset Chairman Reuven Rivlin Tuesday,
highlighting hundreds of failures in the public sector. The report – the longest ever submitted – identified and analyzed a wide range of government activities and provided comprehensive critiques of the failures, including recommendations on ways to rectify the problems it discovered. ... [M]atters that the report examined include: significant lapses in Transportation Ministry oversight of vehicle licensing bureaus and mechanics; criticism over management of public transportation companies; supervision of experiments on animals; overlap in public diplomacy operations; discrimination in acceptance to schools; delays in the issuing of 'smart' identification cards; port management; and defense purchasing." Uncaptioned image from article
Tel Aviv University Promotes “Pro-Israeli” Delegations to International Campuses - Connie Hackbarth, Alternative Information Center (AIC:) "An invitation to an information meeting about 'pro-Israel' student delegations was sent by the secretariat of Tel Aviv University’s Department of Political Communications to all of its graduates on Monday (16 May). The invitation, sent from an official Tel Aviv University email account, invites recipients who may be 'interested in taking part in this important work' to attend a meeting about
a new Israeli student initiative, 'What is Rael', 'which aspires to act for the good of the branding and public diplomacy of Israel on university campuses abroad, which are strongholds of anti-Israeli actions.' ... In addition to the meeting contact details noted above, the Development and Public Affairs Division of Tel Aviv University may be contacted here." Uncaptioned image from article
The European External Action Service and the United Nations: a missed opportunity for self-promotion - Megan Kenna, robustelli.eu: "A 'single voice' of the EU requires streamlined organisation, outreach and carefully crafted public diplomacy."
Image from article: The EU’s High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton
DSM-Interview-Series: Excerpt 2. Are traditional national diplomatic services facing severe threat? - fromoverhere.net: "DSM: Do you think traditional national diplomatic services, as they were, are facing severe threats e.g. within government from other departments and outside government from the new European External Action Service (EEAS)? C.I.Tully: I would not term it as a ‘threat’, per se. It is certainly a change in the strategic context which requires a corresponding shift from the traditional national diplomatic services. The mission of diplomatic services is to influence others. What this means in the 21st century has to be different to what it meant even ten years ago, given the new means (social net-working, 24/7 communication) and actors (types of interest groups, public diplomacy) and issues (cyber security, rare minerals, climate change, human security) involved. What I do see as a direct threat, however, is the increasing costs of maintaining a comprehensive net-work of embassies abroad: especially the cost of security and staff. ... The biggest threat to traditional dip-lomatic services is that their leaders won’t be able to promote internal change sufficiently quickly and flexibly ... . The UK’s FCO has done an excellent job in changing the service in various ways [inter alia]: integrating public diplomacy into their work, including a strong campaigning approach widening engagement where appropriate."
Using the Royal Wedding as Cultural Diplomacy - mhart607, Public and Cultural Diplomacy B: A reflective group blog by students on the Public and Cultural Diplomacy module at London Metropolitan University: "The Royal Wedding was a great example of British culture that was seen around the world. ... With that many eyes on Britain for the wedding
Netherlands - Praise for Dutch policy on culture and public diplomacy - Isria: "Former US ambassador to the Netherlands and Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy Cynthia Schneider is impressed by Dutch policy on culture and public diplomacy, she told foreign minister Uri Rosenthal at a meeting on Tuesday in The Hague. At the meeting the minister remarked on the importance he attached to internet freedom, a theme on which the Netherlands would like to work more closely with the US and Sweden. Mr Rosenthal said that the power of culture lay in giving people a voice and contributing to freedom of expression. Prior to the meeting,
India Would Like to be Your Friend: Indian diplomacy goes social - Peter Griffin, business.in.com: "Last year, the Public Diplomacy division of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) began an experiment. Joint Secretary Navdeep Suri describes his motives thus: 'It was partly recognition that most of the work we were doing was, subconsciously, aimed at ‘People Like Us’. Whether it’s India or elsewhere, when you’ve got an under-30 generation that is 60 percent of the demographic, and they’re the Internet-literate influencers of tomorrow, you need to reach out in their space. Secondly, we see social media not just as a tool for disseminating information; it is also valuable for getting feedback, listening, engaging with people, so that a relationship is built. Thirdly, to see whether we can create a space for narratives about the good work India does overseas — India’s ‘soft power.’' He approached the Department of Information Technology, and got funding under its Innovative IT Projects scheme for a pilot project to see how his division could use social media to improve interaction with citizens. Since then Suri, with Abhay Kumar, Under Secretary at the MEA, have set up Twitter, Facebook and YouTube accounts, and a new public diplomacy Web site. It has been a steady process of building, listening and learning. Most of it not in the media glare. Until, that is, the events of the Middle East and the Jasmine revolutions, in which social media played a small, but visible part. That was also when Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, who had been, Suri says, hugely supportive all along, got herself a Twitter handle. ... How did she reconcile diplomacy — nuanced, highly systematic interaction, careful responses, layers of protocol — with the anarchy of Twitter? 'We need to be responsible, credible and authoritative and this can imply that we are less conversational and more deliberate in our approach.
MEA's twitter account crosses 10000 followers - Sify: In less than a year, the external affairs ministry's twitter account has collected over 10,000 followers, pioneering the outreach of government organisations on social media platforms. On July 9, 2010, twitter account 'Indiandiplomacy' started to tweet. It possibly marked the first time that a major Indian ministry was using a social media platform to create awareness about its activities. On Wednesday, the ministry's official account, managed by its public diplomacy division, had garnered over 10,000 followers. Once 'indiandiplomacy' became active, it opened the doors for others to follow. ... The ministry's facebook page is followed by 1,179 people. Further, about 24 Indian embassies, high commissions and consulates have also opened their own separate facebook pages. ... The ministry's public diplomacy division also has a youtube channel, where it has uploaded excerpts of its commissioned documentaries. Currently, there are over 80 videos on youtube, which has been viewed by over 28,000 visitors."
'Public diplomat' wants foreigners to see the 'true China' - china.org.cn: "Zhao Qizheng ... a veteran at meeting foreign officials and celebrities during his stint as a government spokesman, is notorious for deflecting biting questions without resorting to the typically Chinese tight-lipped stereotype of 'no comment.' ... Zhao's new book, Public Diplomacy and Cross-cultural Communication ... details 10 years of dealing with foreigners and offers insight on how the public can communicate better with them. Zhao is adept at bridging the gap between himself and the public, especially during press conferences. The more demanding the questions, the better as far as he's concerned; such events are a prime opportunity to clarify misunderstandings. Comprised of theory and practice, Zhao's book is full of thought-provoking experiences and ideas about how the general public can explain a 'true China' to the world – so-called public diplomacy – in addition to case studies from the author's own experience. ... Despite his journalism credentials, Zhao is,
in essence, a public relations man for the Chinese government . ... [His] book ... delves into ways of enhancing China's soft power, Web diplomacy and cultivating a better image. Zhao notes that, in Western media, it is often regular citizens or college professors quoted talking about China. Conversely, China is engaged in presenting itself mostly through the mouths of officials or via State media. 'In most cases, we are doing the propaganda thing, instead of cross-cultural communication,' Zhao said. 'And the result is, unfortunately, low credibility.'" Image from article
Passport to Peking: Book Recommendation - Gary Rawnsley, Public Diplomacy and International Communications: "I am currently reading Patrick Wright's Passport to Peking: A Very British Mission to Mao's China (OUP, 2010). It is an extremely interesting, entertaining and highly readable account of the British delegations who ventured beyond the Bamboo Curtain in the 1950s. It is relevant for those of us interested in Chinese public diplomacy as it offers a corrective to the idea that Chinese pd only really began in the early 1970s with Ping-Pong diplomacy and Richard Nixon's visit to Beijing. Wright offers us an insight into the British perceptions of China at this time (coming just after the Korean War and Britain's recognition of the PRC), as well as providing a lot of information about personal and cultural diplomacy from a new perspective."
Review Report “Another U.S. Deficit- China and America - Public Diplomacy in the age of the Intern[et"] - Nevila, Public and Cultural Diplomacy C: A reflective group blog by students on the Public and Cultural Diplomacy module at London Metropolitan University
Ambassador retains Rudd's backing despite dig at the boss - John Garnaut, Sydney Morning Herald: "The Foreign Affairs Minister, Kevin Rudd, says his ambassador in Beijing is doing a 'first-class' job, despite questioning Mr Rudd's knowledge of China. The ambassador, Geoff Raby, was seen to be referring to his boss, Mr Rudd,
Japan's reconstruction said quick losses between $195 to 305 billion - Arab Times Kuwait English Daily: "HH the Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and the government of Kuwait donated 5 million barrels of crude oil to Japan as aid following the earthquake and tsunami, said the Ambassador of Japan to Kuwait, Yasuyoshi Komizo.
The ambassador was speaking at a seminar hosted by Kuwait Economic Society (KES) titled Kuwaiti-Japanese Dialogue Wednesday. ... Dr Nada Al-Mutawa, talked about the long historical relationship between the two countries. She also presented an analysis on the political and economic changes in the GCC and specifically Kuwait, and how that will translate into the Japanese views of the region. 'The dialogue is a partnership between centers of research, embassies, and non-government organizations, and it is a perfect platform which underlines the important role of the public diplomacy and exploring foreign relations.'” See also. Image from
Public Diplomacy and Propaganda - Nevila, Public and Cultural Diplomacy C: A reflective group blog by students on the Public and Cultural Diplomacy module at London Metropolitan University: "Propaganda may well be the most ancient and widely applied strategic tool in political history, serving to consolidate or influence through the manipulation of information and perception. Public diplomacy and propaganda are two linked concepts in the global political arena."
Theory - Molly Sisson, Public Diplomacy and Student Exchanges: Experiences of American Fulbright Grantees in the UK and Turkey, and their counterparts in the US: "Phil Taylor
used to get irritated by scholars who talked about public diplomacy theory. He said 'Public diplomacy is a practice, not a theory.' He was right--there is no theory of PD. There are, however, some scholars who think the field needs theory. ... Personally, I don't think anyone needs to formulate a single theory for PD." On Taylor, see. Taylor image from
The Anti-Academic - Laura McGinnis, manIC: "In addition to the many benefits of pursuing a Master's degree, there are a few down sides. Among these: you're less fun at parties, your pants don't fit as well as they used to, and you start using words like 'monistic/emancipatory' in casual conversation. For me, one of the great tragedies of higher education was never having time to go to the cinema. But this was addressed last night when my friends and I, in celebration of the completion of our studies, went to see the most
non-academic movie we could think of. If I had to describe Fast Five in one word, I think it would be 'smashy. ... [comment by Paul Rockower:] Not academicy? How can you possibly doubt the academiciness of F [and] F and its inherent PD value. The first Fast and the Furious was Edward R. Murrow's favorite movie ever, and had Vin Diesel made Special Envoy to the USSR. Carl T. Rowan made the USIA staff refer to him as 2 Carl 2 Rowan after the sequel appeared. Tokyo Drift became a staple of Radio Free Asia broadcasts. Edward [sic] Z. Wick personally recruited Vin Diesel to return to the silver screen for the fourth, by promising him a Chuck Norris Medal of Valor, the highest honor bestowed on a civilian actor." Image from blog
Why Does Saban Support Arab Spring? - Maidhc Ó Cathail, palestinechronicle.com: "All three experts at the Brookings Doha Center — its director, deputy director and director of research — are fellows at the pro-Israel Saban Center, while two of the three have close ties to Washington’s 'democracy promotion' establishment. ... Shadi Hamid, the Doha center’s director of research, is aptly described as an expert on democratization in the Middle East. ... Hamid was also director of research at the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED), whose board of advisors, reading like a who’s who of the democracy promotion establishment, includes Diamond and the NDI and IRI presidents. Hamid has also served as a program specialist on public diplomacy at the U.S. State Department. James Glassman, the former Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy who brought Middle Eastern pro-democracy activists to New York for the inaugural Alliance of Youth Movements (AYM) summit in 2008, viewed public diplomacy as 'the direct or indirect engagement of foreign publics to support national security objectives,' while observing that 'it’s a lot easier to be influential when others are making the pronouncements.'”
Commencement marks a fond farewell for retiring, departing faculty - The Miscellany News: "Visiting Associate Professor of Anthropology [at Vassar] Saul Mercado is leaving teaching altogether to work for the US State Department. Mercado will work as a diplomat with the Public Diplomacy division. 'I see my new job as an extension of my scholarship. It will involve a great deal of teaching and research, much like what I already do as an anthropologist.' Mercado also cited job stability and the opportunity for travel as factors that lead him to take a job as a diplomat."
First advisory board meeting in the Mohamad Bin Rashid School for communication in American University in Dubai - "The purpose of the advisory board meeting is to have the feedback from key professional in the media industry in the Arab region on the specific needs and wants of the media industry along with the areas where more expertise is needed and to hear their suggestions for going forward.
The attendees from the advisory board were [inter alia] ... Dr. Philip Seib (Professor; Director, USC Center on Public Diplomacy)." Image from article
Questions without immediate answers - Leah Rousseau, Public Diplomacy in Action: "Leah Rousseau received a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Mt. St. Mary’s College and a Masters of Public Diplomacy and International Relations from the University of Southern California."
Out of Africa x 2 - Rosaleen Smyth blogs?: "But after five years I got itchy feet; I was becoming more and more like a Dickensian clerk hunched over my desk accumulating more and more files so I went back into academia in Australia for the next nine years; those international conferences were a siren song. I churned out a few academic articles on colonial cinema, film propaganda and public diplomacy and got lots of international
stamps in my passport. But mired in a Canberra university I became restless again, chucked away the precious ‘tenure’ and spent the next five years teaching at universities in Dubai and Taiwan, diverse, confronting and affluent vantage points from which to observe the throb of 21st century life in this 24/7 world. And then, back to the nether side of the global paradise: Africa." Rosaleen Smyth image from her blog
Blog Updated: Dissertation Time - Efe Sevin, Reaching the Public: Personal Reflections on Public Diplomacy and Place/Nation Branding: " I will be using this blog as a ‘draft’ for my dissertation – which will be hopefully about the use of soft power in international relations. The subject is not solely ‘branding’. However, my focus will be on branding. I will try to assess whether the recent changes in international relations are, well, changes or not. Did all these discussions on place branding, public diplomacy, soft power, etc. change the way we conceptualize international relations? Or is social media practically the communication version of an ICBM?"
RELATED ITEMS
The strange appointment of Victoria Nuland as State Department Spokesperson - Patricia H. Kushlis, Whirled View: Nuland served as Principal Deputy National Security Advisor to Vice President Cheney. Nuland image from
Funding for new MISO complex on Psy Ops Lane, Fort Bragg, moves forward - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting
NATO psyop employs pathos on Libyan army radio frequencies - Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting
Arab League Silences Libyan TV - Thomas C. Mountain, Foreign Policy Journal: There is something about seeing with one’s own eyes and hearing with one’s own ears that allows one to try to best judge what is and what isn’t true. After a lifetime of strictly controlled propaganda, we finally have a choice, maybe limited, but a choice of what propaganda we would try and digest. An important part of that choice is gone, now that Libyan TV is off the satellite airwaves.
Twitterer: I egged and shoed the father of the Great Firewall of China - Cory Doctorow, Boing Boing: A pseudonymous Twitter user who posts as @hanunyi claims to have attended a talk
by Fang Binxing (characterized as the "father of China's Great Firewall" and Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications) at Wuhan University in Hubei province and to have pelted Fang with eggs and shoes. Fang's office denies the attack took place, but the Luojiashan public security bureau alerted the Associated Press that police came to the university to "investigate a shoe-throwing incident." Image from article
Payne: General Mao-tors? Nope - Henry Payne, The Michigan View.com: "GM sponsors and celebrates soon to be released Chinese Communist Party propaganda film." Now that is a blockbuster headline about a company 33 percent-owned by the U.S. taxpayer. Government Motors, alleges Washington Times reporter Kerry Picket, is glorifying China's brutal communist history with your money. "In late 2010, General Motors agreed to sponsor a propaganda film celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)," reports the Times. "The CCP-made film titled (translated to English) 'The Birth of a Party' . . . is set to premiere all over the Communist nation on June 15 reported China AutoWeb last September. The auto website adds: 'According to an announcement posted on Shanghai GM's official web site. . . Cadillac
North Koreans chuckle over propaganda: By reinterpreting slogans, citizens show their sense of humor, as well as their growing dislike of the regime - Emily Lodish, tucsonsentinel.com
Ukrainian diaspora asks Europe to condemn propaganda of totalitarian communist regime symbols - nrcu.gov.ua: The Ukrainian World Congress, which unites a twenty million diaspora in 32 countries, calls upon the European community to demand from Ukrainian authorities to condemn immediately all forms of glorification of Stalinism and to stop propaganda of the totalitarian communist regime symbols.
Soviet Propaganda carpets - englishrussia.com: Want to see how carpets looked in Soviet homes? Here is a sample,
right from the Soviet Museum.
AMERICANA
ONLY IN CROATIA?
From: Xeni Jardin, "Magnet Boy of Croatia: gadgets stick to his chest," Boing Boing, with a nice swan behind him.
1 comment:
Here, I do not actually consider it is likely to have effect.
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