Rapid development and industrialization have forced the movement of populations into cities... For others, the transition offers new opportunities for business, education and eventual quality of life improvements. In India, this transformation is increasingly apparent

A ‘strategic partnership’ agreement was signed by Afghanistan and India. For all these years India has been identified with building roads, hospitals and schools in Afghanistan. India is also keen for economic engagement...India has been exhibiting its “soft power” standing in the region.

Following a strong rebound of key industry sectors like building and construction and IT after the 2008 financial crisis Korea’s economy asserted itself as having a stable and adaptable foundation leading to a positive nod by the IMF... This is undoubtedly a boost to the nation branding effort.

APDS Blogger: Jessica Castillo

The India: Inside Out Project

APDS Blogger: Maya Babla

This December, a group of seven graduate students from the Master of Public Diplomacy program at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism will embark on a journey to India. We will visit New Delhi and Mumbai, meeting with a range of stakeholders interested in how this global player is positioning itself to foreign and domestic audiences.

Army 1st Lt. Michael O’Neill was deployed to Afghanistan when his family asked what they could send him to help the Afghan children.Little did O’Neill realize at the time that his request for children’s books would be instrumental in launching an innovative literacy initiative...

Three major democracies... by abstaining on a censure-Syria motion... have yet again shown... that they do not side with aspiring democrats in the developing world. The stronger a country becomes the less disposed it may be to support principles it does not need for protection any more...

For us, public diplomacy is very much an instrument of soft power. We seek to inform and engage people in our countries, but also far beyond. We are fully aware of some of the stereotypes about NATO that still drive public perceptions in some countries.