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.
After China’s Wukan uprising
Reports of the arrival of a "China Spring" are premature, but the comparison is closer than anyone would have predicted before last week. Long after authorities from Beijing re-establish control, Wukan's achievement will affect China's internal security policy, succession dynamics in the run-up to the 2012 leadership handover, and even China's foreign policy.
U.S. considers combating Somali militants’ Twitter use
Most of the Shabab’s Twitter messages are in English, not Somali, and are clearly meant for an outside audience. American officials said they were exploring legal options to shut down the Shabab’s new Twitter account, potentially opening a debate over the line between free speech and support for terrorism.
Iran: Evil intent or bravely defiant?
Iran was never tackled in the same way as Iraq was, but with a 17-year long US trade embargo on Iran and no real diplomatic relations for 30 years – the two countries are clearly not friends. Earlier this year, US Secretary of State Clinton labeled Iran as “awful” in a speech about internet freedoms. But do we think Iran is “Evil”?
The rising soft power of the emerging world
The rise in emerging market (EM) hard power over the past decade has been dramatic. The crucial question that arises then is whether soft power in the emerging world has risen commensurately to its hard power. If it has, then the combination of rising soft and hard power will give many EM countries more global clout.
Talk the good talk
To improve Israel’s image in the United States, one of the best things is to bring opinion makers to the country. And just like in Israel where the likes of Yaron Dekel and Keren Neubach often play a big role in setting the national agenda, in the US, there’s no greater barometer for public opinion than the radio talk show host.
Is.Real TV goes live
The video project was voluntary and the students had to raise the funds to see it through. The Israeli Student Union offered advice on logistics. "We discovered a huge potential for improving Israel's public diplomacy efforts around the world through this creative and groundbreaking project," said Maayan Friedland, a Student Union spokesperson.
Pandas: The great white (and black) hope
Since the start of the 21st century, using pandas as a diplomatic tool has become increasingly passé, according to Woo. China now uses other forms of soft power to export its culture and influence abroad.
A war America lost
America lost its soft power once it used its hard power against Iraq. The global standing of the US suffered tremendously as the war dragged on, with hundreds of thousands of civilian casualties and the revelation of atrocities committed by American troops against civilians and prisoners.
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