A curated selection of public diplomacy-relevant news from a global cross-section of English-language media outlets, including independent, corporate-owned, and state-sponsored sources. The stories featured don't necessarily represent CPD's views nor have they been verified by CPD.

Activists Skeptical About Diplomacy With Iran

Reports on progress made in recent diplomatic talks with Iran have left some Jewish activists playing a kind of Greek chorus, expressing skepticism on the sidelines while not interrupting the ongoing drama. Many of these activists have been gearing up for a push toward tough sanctions against Tehran to curb its nuclear ambitions, and are now worried that the October 1 negotiations between Iran and a group of six nations, including the United States, will mistakenly be viewed as progress.

Tags:

Is Public Diplomacy For Everyone?

In constructing the research base upon which the argumentation presented in Guerrilla Diplomacy rests, I noted that the literature is largely silent on the thinking of developing country foreign ministries, diplomats or academics about PD per se. There is little data on their PD objectives, resources and performance.

Tags:

Public Diplomacy’s Glass Ceiling

A lot of work is going into making PD more strategic: notably, the institution of a PD implementation plan (reviving a USIA practice that was abandoned by State) and an emphasis on reporting and accounting for resources. This is a work in progress that is bound to prompt complaints from field officers, and achieving accountability without killing creativity or slowing the real work will be no mean trick.

Tags:

America, You’re #1

The U.S. moved from last year’s 7 spot to number 1, and we have the persuader-in-chief in the White House to thank, according to Simon Anholt, the brainchild behind the Anholt-GfK Roper Nation Brands Index(NBI)...The election of Barack Obama had a multiplier effect in how global publics view the U.S. from abroad. There were improved global perceptions of the people, culture, and tourism communication sectors of the United States.

Tags:

Should I Stay Or Should I Go: Making Sense Of An American “Invasion”

Granted, many Pakistanis are exaggerating America’s past missteps in Pakistan while ignoring America’s past generosity. Nevertheless, their actual perception is genuinely that of an abuse victim relative to America. Unless that perception is addressed more effectively, U.S. aid efforts will only blow up in our face.

Tags:

As Obama Scores an Iran Breakthrough, Congress Fumbles

As the pressure built early last week for President Obama to forgo diplomacy with Iran in favor of imposing new sanctions, Iran's top opposition leader posed a piercing question to the world. "Which one of [Iran's leaders] can be expected to care about the agony their behavior imposes on people?" Mir-Hossein Mousavi asked. By belying the bankruptcy of the alternatives, his question underscored the importance of President Obama's diplomatic engagement with Iran.

Tags: congress

EU and US cities jointly commit to reducing carbon emissions

Mayors from both sides of the Atlantic on Wednesday pledged to work together to reduce carbon emissions and to aje their voice heard at the upcoming UN conference on climate change in Copenhagen. "US mayors stand solidly with mayors across the globe who believe that climate disruption is an urgent threat to the environmental and economic health of our communities."

Tags:

Lieberman wants ‘new Israeli foreign policy’

The policy staff in Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's office has drawn up a secret memo calling for a radical refocus of Israeli foreign policy toward the developing world, The Jerusalem Post has learned...according to a copy of the memo...the new policy involves moving away from a "lone dependence" on the United States as a strategic ally, to developing broader and closer ties with other world powers and with the developing world.

Tags:

Pages

Stay in the Know

Public Diplomacy is a dynamic field, and CPD is committed to keeping you connected and informed about the critical developments that are shaping PD around the world. 

Depending on your specific interests, you can subscribe to one or more of CPD's newsletters >.

Visit CPD's Online Library

Explore CPD's vast online database featuring the latest books, articles, speeches and information on international organizations dedicated to public diplomacy.