Smart power is needed to defeat terrorism. Smart power is the ability to combine hard military and police power and the soft power of attraction and persuasion.

"Cool Japan Heats Up” declares a sign welcoming visitors to an area of Universal Studios Japan (USJ) devoted to the country’s hottest pop culture exports. Now in its second year, USJ’s “Universal Cool Japan” event features special attractions that run until June 26. It promises to deliver “the finest of Japanese entertainment to the world” — assuming everyone who wants to receive it can fly to Osaka.

The Canadian man who once helped basketball hall of famer Dennis Rodman get into North Korea now wants to bring former NHL players into the isolated country to play hockey.

 The most effective PD initiatives may well be those that favorably align image, state-centric identity and public-centric identity. Aggressive efforts to promote a positive image that neglect a negative public-centric identity of the state may invite trouble. Activists are often the first to exploit gaps between state-centric and public-centric identity.

When Qatar announced the closure of Al Jazeera America this month, the decision by its new ruler marked a more cautious approach to public diplomacy by the tiny Gulf state after years of cultivating a high-profile international role.