Recent Blogs of Note

CPD Blog Manager: Naweed Lemar

CPD Blog Manager’s Note: Here at the USC Center on Public Diplomacy, we encourage individuals to write about the effects of public diplomacy around the world. Public diplomacy, traditionally the purview of governments, has grown and branched out and is now being conducted by a variety of actors. In an effort to share with our readers a larger set of public diplomacy-related material, the CPD Blog is producing a periodic column, “Recent Blogs of Note.” This column will feature blogs from a number of institutions and individuals. If you are interested in having your blog featured in Recent Blogs of Note, please email cpd@usc.edu for more information.

Building Homes in Jordan

An interesting blog post from the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy discusses Creative Learning, an organization that encourages Americans to become “unofficial Ambassadors” to different Islamic nations. In the 2012 project titled “Building Peace by Building Homes,” American citizens traveled to the “Muslim World” and built homes, shared meals with families, and broadened their worldview. Creative Learning’s program demonstrates that some of the most effective forms of public diplomacy do not have to be conducted by a state, and that anyone can act as a public diplomacy practitioner and enhance the relationship between a country and a foreign public.

A sample of what goes on while an “unofficial Ambassador”

The Rise of China’s Youth

Another blog from the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy discusses how China's economic boom since the late 1990’s has given its younger generation something to look forward to—economic security. As China has risen and attained the status of a key player on the world stage, the Chinese youth have risen as well. The youth utilize social media to express their opinions and beliefs. Using the internet to reach out to peers overseas can facilitate the growth of a generation of citizen diplomats who can contribute greatly to the world. This blog demonstrates the impact social media can have on public diplomacy and how the use of the internet makes public diplomacy very effective in its distribution.

The “Oprah of China” on the use of social media for youth engagement in China