A Meeting with the Incoming Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy

APDS Blogger: Jennifer Green Washington, D.C. -- We are just so excited to be in a place where others understand the term “public diplomacy.” The “we” I am talking about is the delegation of 18 public diplomacy graduate students from the University of Southern California, on an inaugural trip to Washington, D.C. to meet with professionals working in our field at various organizations. The goal was to broaden our awareness of careers in public diplomacy, and to build connections and opportunities between the East and West coasts. Read More

Forbidden Education

APDS Blogger: Karen Calderon On February 3rd, 2012, the USC School of Cinematic Arts held a screening for “Education Under Fire,” a film that provides a provocative insight into the lives of Bahá'ís in Iran who lack access to the country’s education system. Read More

Water Vulnerability: A Challenge for Public Diplomacy

With so many global challenges, where can the biggest impact be made on global publics? How can the case for public diplomacy be made more effectively to governments, corporations, NGOs and individuals? We can start by tackling the most pressing global issue—water. Water is essential for human life and although we are a blue planet, water is a scarce resource. More than one billion people do not have access to safe water. Read More

Models as Mirrors or Cultural Diplomacy?

Several years ago I organized a conference designed to encourage those involved in the work of cultural diplomacy – policy makers, practitioners and cultural producers, public diplomacy officers, and academics; who too seldom talk to one another – to generate a shared conversation about what in fact composes this enterprise. Read More

Stand-up Diplomacy: Humor as Public Diplomacy

“If you are going to tell people the truth, you better make them laugh; otherwise, they’ll kill you.” -George Bernard Shaw I used to think that humor was one thing that didn’t translate in cross-cultural communication. In my travels, I had watched numerous attempts at jokes fail miserably as they got lost in translation or cultural nuances. Things often ended awkwardly amid the seemingly untranslatable nature of humor. Read More

Mr. Xi Comes to America’s Heartland

Muscatine, Iowa, is to play host to a special guest on Wednesday, when China’s Vice President Xi Jinping, the nation’s presumed next leader, returns to the small town he first visited as part of a sister-state program more than two decades ago. Mr. Xi’s journey to America’s heartland underscores the importance of the public dimension of U.S-China diplomacy. Read More

Davos in Reflection: Global Risks Meet Global Inaction

In reading through various reports from Davos last week, I couldn’t help but wonder with all that power amassed – over 4500 attendees to include hundreds of heads of state and CEOs – and all the current crises compounding on the world’s stage, might something different result. Would there be any fresh thinking or radical action to come of such a gathering at such an auspicious time in world history. Read More

India, Korea, Brazil Now at Heart of Battle for Internet Freedom

WASHINGTON --- If you think China and Iran are where the fight for Internet freedom are centered, you may want to reconsider. According to Bob Boorstin, Google’s Director of Corporate and Policy Communications, the crucial battles today are elsewhere. “India is number one,” he said, when I asked which country was at the top of his list. Another is Russia, where he said the problem is the corrupt private individuals who may soon hold the Internet for ransom. "You may soon be paying large fees to mysterious figures,” he predicted, for Internet access there. Read More

Advertising USA

Brand USA, a non-profit, public-private partnership, is to launch a global advertising campaign next month, as part of the country’s concerted effort in marketing tourism to the world. As its core mission, the organization, created in 2010, is to “encourage and inspire travelers to explore America’s boundless possibilities.” Read More

Public Diplomacy and the Supremacy Sweepstakes

One of the most intriguing aspects of public diplomacy involves efforts by various emerging nations to portray themselves as the "next" world power. Just as intriguing is the willingness of American influencers to reinforce the notion that the United States will inevitably be passed by others as a global power. Read More

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