The Origins of Celebrity Diplomacy with Ira Wagman

These days many celebrities are engaged in advocacy work, particularly having to do with global humanitarian issues. But who was the first such "celebrity-diplomat?" How has celebrity involvement changed the practice of diplomacy? Professor Ira Wagman of Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada traced the origins of the phenomenon and offered a historical context for the efforts of today's A-list advocates. He also discussed the benefits and pitfalls of celebrity diplomacy.

About Ira Wagman
Professor Ira Wagman is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies at the School of Journalism and Communication and the Institute for the Comparative Study of Literature, Art, and Culture at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. He is a Research Associate of the Zelikovitz Centre for Jewish Studies, the Centre for Public History, and the Centre for European Studies, all also at Carleton. Wagman has held several fellowships and visiting appointments, including at SUNY-Plattsburgh and the University of Amsterdam. Wagman’s writings on Canadian media, cultural policy, digital media, public memory, and media history have been widely published. You can read some of them here.

For more information about Professor Wagman, please click here.

Please read more about the Center's Celebrity Diplomacy research project led by Professor Geoffrey Wiseman and watch the video from the workshop by following this link.