CPD Director Participates in Social Media Conference in UK

CPD Director Philip Seib recently traveled to the UK for a conference at the University of Cambridge and a series of meetings in London. In Cambridge, Seib participated in the “Social Media and Social Networks” conference January 17-19, co-sponsored by the University of Cambridge and the University of Warwick. Seib presented “Real-time diplomacy: politics and power in the social media era.” The conference emphasized scientific elements of networks and social media, with presentations ranging from “Optimal and heuristic models of human information acquisition” to “Leveraging social media and the digital economy.” Seib presented issues relating to his forthcoming book, Real-Time Diplomacy: Politics and Power in the Social Media Era (Palgrave Macmillan, April 2012).

In London, Seib met with representatives of the British Foreign Office to discuss public diplomacy initiatives, spoke at a meeting of the newly formed Digital Diplomacy Club, which comprises diplomats based in London who specialize in digital media, and met with a Facebook European government expert, as well as a researcher from the Institute of Government. Seib concluded his UK visit with a meeting with Wadah Khanfar, former director general of Al Jazeera. For Seib’s analysis of the impact of Wadah Khanfar’s resignation on Al Jazeera, please click here.