The problem we face today is one of imbalance. The Defense Department has an annual budget in the range of $750 billion. Compare that with all diplomatic, civilian efforts — which ring in at $50 billion... There are three obvious roles for diplomatic efforts: before, during and after conflicts.

How do you move from a culture of "need to know" to a culture of "need to share?" Richard Boly thinks about the answer to that question every day. Boly, a speaker at next week's Gov 2.0 Expo, is the director of the Office of eDiplomacy at the State Department.

The perception of the U.S. abroad varies widely, and is subject to many forces, including world events, media coverage, policy changes, and presidential administrations. In response, the U.S. State Department...has been charged with the difficult task of engaging in the dialogue surrounding the controversial policies discussed in almost every corner of the world.

Three graduate students at UCSB will be traveling to Africa this summer as a part of the U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship program (CLS)...All three will be studying Arabic, the primary language of both countries, at intensive language institutions

The State Department's public diplomacy professionals in Washington and at U.S. Embassies around the globe are actively pursuing a variety of cultural, education and information programs to showcase respect for diverse cultures, faiths and traditions.

This week I’m obsessed with the notion of Hidden Power. Am reading Kati Marton’s most excellent book on the subject, which focuses on Presidential marriages that shaped our nation’s history.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee is considering a bill that would enable the State Department to fund American research cooperation in the developing world -- including the Muslim world -- as a hedge against extremism.