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.
American and German students take cross-ocean class on the Holocaust
Kollodzeiski and her fellow students are participating in an ocean-crossing class developed at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y....While it is billed as simply a multidisciplinary, multicountry course exploring how the Holocaust is variously remembered and memorialized in these countries, the class offers a prism into the different ways Americans and Germans bear the atrocities of the past and how this informs their understanding of conflicts today.
Chinese President Hu’s visit to Japan boosts warming trend
During his five-day trip, which started Tuesday, Hu is expected to meet Japanese Emperor Akihito, and play ping-pong and hold summit talks with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who visited Beijing in December. Hu is scheduled to speak at Waseda University in Tokyo, visit a Chinese school in Yokohama, and perhaps offer a new panda to replace the long-beloved Ling Ling, who died last week.
Burma’s Katrina moment
The contrast with Indonesia's response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami could not be more stark. There, after 220,000 people were killed by a giant wave, an elected president welcomed massive outside assistance, including vital aid from the American Navy, with little fear of foreign meddling. Burma's despots must now be told by the rest of the world that extreme self-sufficiency and isolation is no way to run a modern country.
Overseas Education More Attainable for Chinese Students
A record number of Chinese students are expected to study abroad this year, as more and more apply for visas to attend universities in the United States, Europe and Australia. Many students say they want an overseas degree to help them compete in China's tough job market.
Why We’re Not Paying Enough
Increased airport security and scrutiny of foreign visitors are not the primary causes of America's global image problem. The excesses of Abu Ghraib, the existence of the Guantanamo prison (which all the presidential candidates say they want to shutter) and our controversial and passionately debated interrogation practices have done more to diminish our global standing than some gruff Customs officials or aggressive airport security personnel.
The Mystery of Political Charisma
The press tells us that Barack Obama has "charisma," the special power of a person to inspire fascination and loyalty. But does charisma originate in the individual, in the followers, or in the situation? Academic studies say all three.
Israel’s 60-Year Test
Sixty years after its birth, Israel continues to test the proposition that reality counts for more than perception.
China’s ‘soft power’ blitz no major concern: US study
The study, undertaken by a group of China specialists and regional analysts, examined the strengths and weaknesses of China's foreign policy and growing use "soft power" in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. "Contrary to some projections of China's ability to displace American influence through the use of soft power, the CRS report indicates that China must grapple with many limitations on its influence," said Senate Foreign Affairs panel chief Joseph Biden, who commissioned the study.
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