While the days of its worst behavior are long behind it, the United States does have a well-documented history of interfering and sometimes interrupting the workings of democracies elsewhere. It has occupied and intervened militarily in a whole swath of countries in the Caribbean and Latin America and fomented coups against democratically elected populists.

Egypt’s 2011 uprising has become synonymous with the successful use of social media to overthrow an entrenched authoritarian regime. Popular and academic literature hold it up as the paradigm of social media’s effects on contentious politics. Activists from Bahrain and Turkey to Ukraine and St. Louis learned and applied Egyptian protest tactics. 

The Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia (Diplocat) has been invited by the National Council for Human Rights, to monitor the parliamentary elections [...] The general secretary of Diplocat, Albert Royo, stressed that this mission "makes Catalonia visible as an international committed, serious and responsible actor, in a natural space of action as is the Mediterranean area".

Secretary Kerry acknowledged in his remarks on religion and diplomacy [...] "Religion today remains deeply consequential, affecting the values, the actions, the choices, the worldview of people in every walk of life on every continent."  The Secretary's words speak to the State Department’s recognition of a growing need to assess religious dynamics in world affairs and engage religious actors across a wide range of foreign policies.

The European Union has launched the ‘2016-2020 Human Rights and Democracy Country Strategy’ for Papua New Guinea. [...] The priority areas are to promote a Human Rights culture in PNG society; support the ratification and implementation of Human Rights international conventions and instruments; and strengthen good governance, democracy and rule of law.

Together O’Neal and Canales became the first official U.S. Department of State Basketball Sports Envoys to Cuba, taking U.S. diplomacy to new heights by forging positive ties with the people of Cuba through the unifying power of sports.  

The Middle East remains of a major geostrategic importance. Global powers found in the recent developments an opportunity to chart their way into the region; sending troops and reinforcements, rebuilding alliances and restoring old relations. Amidst this chaotic environment, a number of regional forces opted to adopt a different approach: soft power.