Latest Must-Reads in Public Diplomacy Scholarship

On April 7, Bruce Gregory published the 69^th and most recent edition of his periodic public diplomacy reading list. "Bruce's List" is a compilation of books, journal articles, papers, and blogs on a wide variety of PD topics, and features a number of CPD scholars. Highlights include:

• Hisham Aidi’s “America’s Hip-Hop Foreign Policy” examines the influence of hip-hop on Muslim youth worldwide, as well as the use of hip-hop diplomacy by the U.S. and European governments. The article is an excerpt from Aidi’s recent book, Rebel Music: Race, Empire, and the New Muslim Youth Culture.
   
• Christopher Hill and Sarah Beadle's The Art of Attraction: Soft Power and the UK's Role in the World is an in-depth analysis of Britain's soft power assets, focusing on higher education, the BBC, and the British Council. The authors offer a critique of Britain's success (or lack thereof) in deploying soft power, as well as specific recommendations for improvements.
   
• Bruce Gregory’s “The Paradox of US Public Diplomacy: Its Rise and 'Demise'” argues that public diplomacy needs to "attempt to bridge scholarship and practice," concluding, “It is time to move beyond public diplomacy as a bounded concept and separate category of diplomatic practice. The public dimension is central in strategic planning and all interrelated elements of diplomacy.”
   
• Martha Bayles’ “The Struggle for Hearts and Minds: America's Culture War and the Decline of US Public Diplomacy” claims that the U.S. has squandered its earlier victories in winning hearts and minds around the world, and has made poor use of mass media in the 21^st century. The article is an excerpt from Bayles’ recent book, Through a Screen Darkly: Popular Culture, Public Diplomacy, and America's Image Abroad.

To review the entire list, click here.