CPD Awards 2017-2018 Doctoral Dissertation Grants

The USC Center on Public Diplomacy is pleased to announce Romi Jain and Mariana de Heredia as the recipients of our 2017-2018 CPD Doctoral Dissertation Grants.

Romi Jain (Cleveland State University) is researching China's use of higher education in the form of Confucius Institutes and university programs as a projection of global soft power. Her research examines China's influence in South Asia, focusing on the relationship between the experiences of South Asian students with Chinese education programs, and China's soft power policy in the region.

Mariana de Heredia (Stanford University ) examines Mexico's use of literature as a public diplomacy strategy throughout the 20th century. Her research focuses on the ways Mexican literature is deployed as a public diplomacy tool to reach international audiences, in addition to the appointment of writers and literary figures to diplomatic positions, furthering the country's focus on fostering international relationships and improving national interests abroad.

Click here to read more about the CPD Doctoral Dissertation Grant and here for a list of previous grantees.