The Challenges of YouTube Diplomacy
Ten years ago, the Innocence of Muslims controversy would not have happened. YouTube did not exist, and without this means of reaching a global audience the offensive snippets of the “film” would never have been seen. Read More
Culture Posts: Paradox of Promoting National Values in the Global Political Arena
I have always been intrigued by the desire of countries to convey their cultural, political or social values as part of their public diplomacy mission. On the surface, it is appealing. However, in practice, it is fraught with challenges and is something of a paradox. Read More
Washington DC USC forum focuses on person-to-person contacts
WASHINGTON – The personal touch was the focus of a USC public diplomacy forum here last week, the first in a series of 2012-2013 USC public diplomacy programs in the nation’s capital.
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The ‘Smart Power’ of Books in Building Bilateral Relations
On August 10, 1878, along the shore of a hazy blue lake in southwestern New York state, a Methodist Bishop and his flock of summer retreat parishioners kicked off a book club with big ambitions. Their four year course of independent reading aimed to raise education levels all across small town and rural America. More than 8,400 people enrolled that first year, returning to their homes to start over 10,000 local “circles” by 1900. Read More
Endangered Languages in the Pacific Provide Unique Opportunity for American Public Diplomacy
According to UNESCO, “half of the 6,000 plus spoken languages today will disappear by the end of the century” if the world fails to take action to preserve endangered languages. Read More
In The Weeds: The Last Three Feet
Rendered razor sharp against a blurred background, the small flowers of late summer burst with reality. These are discrete examples of meadow flowers that our eyes usually gather in flattened focus massively and whole.
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Considering Public Diplomacy as Africa Boils
Americans’ attention rarely strays beyond domestic discontents these days, and when it does extend overseas it is most likely to settle on the endless war in Afghanistan or the challenging puzzle that is China. Read More
Journalism, Mass Communication & Public Diplomacy
I recently returned from the annual Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference in Chicago where suddenly everyone’s talking about public diplomacy. Or at least, using the term. It calls to mind a favorite movie quote: “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means…”. Read More
Gallup/BBG survey: ‘Massive’ increase in mobile phone, Internet use in Nigeria
WASHINGTON – The use of mobile telephones and the Internet have soared in Nigeria in the past few years, with clear implications for BBG and VOA activity in West Africa.
These were the major findings of a survey released here this morning by the Broadcasting Board of Governors and Gallup organization. Read More
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