The prize was for Pasternak’s “notable achievement in both contemporary poetry and the field of the great Russian narrative tradition”. But officials singled out Dr Zhivago, an elegiac novel that refused to celebrate the Soviet system. [...] With Soviet cultural diplomacy in the doldrums, any further intervention by Nehru would have deeply embarrassed Moscow. 

The original American dream appealed to adult men and women willing to commit themselves to a risky path of hard work, sacrifice, and hope for a better future. The new dream panders to adolescents and post-adolescents who are fearful of growing up. This is not an accurate or full picture of American life, and neither is it appealing to many people whom America needs on its side.

Aside from the figures, the 2015 report also includes an analysis section. In it, ACPD makes more than 20 recommendations that are meant to iteratively strengthen and modernize public diplomacy and broadcasting strategy and tactics. The emphasis of the recommendations is on research and evaluation; supporting public diplomacy professionals; and how to keep American Spaces open and accessible.

Russia’s growing presence in Syria involves a parallel war of information, with the Kremlin dead-set on controlling an increasingly unwieldy narrative. Here are seven strategies that show up time and time again in releases by Russian officials and state-sponsored news organizations. 

The American Center at Moscow’s Rudomino All-Russia State Library of Foreign Literature has become the latest in a long line of American cultural institutions to be shut down as the political confrontation between Russia and the West widens.

Security experts often disagree when ranking America’s security challenges, but most believe that the top three are violent Islamic extremism, Russia and China. These adversaries or potential adversaries have radically different capabilities and goals, but share one characteristic: All seem to be beating the United States on what can be called “the battlefield of perception.” 

Of the nations that practice information warfare, the most persistent is Russia. In a recent article for the Institute for the Study of War, Maria Snegovaya describes Russia’s dexterity at using “reflexive control,” which she defines as shaping an adversary’s perceptions of a situation so that this adversary proceeds to act in the way Russia wants.