Cultural Diplomacy

Anyone who has followed international affairs closely knows that one distinctive flaw in U.S. cultural diplomacy is our public welcome pavilions at major world events, including the Olympics and the World Cup. (...) After experiencing this first-hand Maxine Turner, President of the U.S. Welcome Pavilion, stepped in to create a space where U.S. culture and business can come together to reach a global public. We spoke with her about her plans for the inaugural U.S. Welcome Pavilion at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Miami Chef Douglas Rodriguez is known as the "Godfather of Nuevo Latino Cuisine" for the pan-Latin American style of cooking he helped pioneer. But, as the son of Cuban immigrants, his early cooking education was firmly rooted in the traditions of his parents' homeland.

To many Americans, globalization may mean Americanization but, in China, globalization is Koreanization. This is the impact of Hallyu (the Korean word for “Korean wave”), which began in 1997. Hallyu began with Korean television dramas and today extends throughout Chinese life: k-drama, k-pop, movies, fashion, food, and beauty.  It is argued to be the only example of a cultural power “that threatens the dominance of American culture.”

Clooney found his match in a woman of high intelligence, cosmopolitan elan and Muslim heritage. Hmmm. President Clooney. First Lady Amal. American soft power at its best.

Professor Sarah E.K. Smith joins the USC Center on Public Diplomacy for the spring 2015 semester as the Canada-U.S. Fulbright Visiting Research Chair in Public Diplomacy.

The ten most notable PD stories from 2014.

Music and Diplomacy from the Early Modern Era to the Present is a book edited by Rebekah Ahrendt, Mark Ferraguto, and Damien Mahiet which delves into the topic of music diplomacy by analyzing historical and contemporary cases. It explores how music (its concepts, practices, and institutions) shape the exercise of diplomacy, the pursuit of power, and the conduct of international relations.

The U.S. Department of State and Major League Baseball are entering a new era of “diamond diplomacy” in the Western Hemisphere. In a renewed partnership with Major League Baseball, current professional baseball players will accompany Olympic softball stars to Colombia and Panama to serve as Sports Envoys. The U.S. Department of State recognizes the unique ability of America’s national pastime to connect with youth throughout the Western Hemisphere, as baseball enjoys an especially ardent following in Central and South America.

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