More than two years into his term, Obama cuts the image of an all-business envoy, seldom going outside normal business hours to turn on the charm with other heads of state. He appears to have built few deep personal bonds with foreign leaders, and his forays into public diplomacy are notable for their rarity.

CPD Assistant Director for Research and Publications, Naomi Leight, participated on a panel, organized by BINA LA, to discuss the impact of film and culture in Israel’s public diplomacy strategy.

Germans are right to press for more cohesive European governance. It also might help Germany get along better with others. Germany is Europe’s powerhouse economy and preeminent political force, but lately it hasn’t won laurels for statecraft.

With Broadway's post 9/11 struggles in the rear-view mirror, it is clear that musicals are once again one of the biggest attractions in the Big Apple. And in a controversial shift from the traditional, many of the musicals rely heavily on pre-existing movies, songs and stars.

A conference on public diplomacy has heard that Australia needs to do more to promote an international image that moves beyond narrow stereotypes. Opposition senator Russell Trood says the Department of Foreign Affairs lacks a coherent strategy to influence how Australia's seen by the rest of the world.

Economic resources can produce soft-power behavior as well as hard military power. A successful economic model not only finances the military resources needed for the exercise of hard power, but it can also attract others to emulate its example.

Aware of its need to project its soft power, the Chinese government has put out advertisements and expanded a whole department of the Chinese Ministry of Education to recruit teachers and send them out to foreign countries around the world, promoting the teaching of Mandarin.

As international borders become more porous, nations must use soft power to build networks and institutions to respond to shared threats. In this sense, power becomes a positive-sum game. It is no longer sufficient to think exclusively of wielding power over others. We must instead think of using power to accomplish goals with others.