The people involved in carrying out public diplomacy around the world
1. THE WORLD WATCHES HISTORY IN THE MAKING: The smooth January 20, 2021 inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Harris will surely go down in our political and strategic communications history. Although intended for a domestic audience, the jam-packed schedule of televised events over 24 hours reached many international audiences, and must be counted as…
This article was originally published in the USC CPD Blog. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of any agency of the U.S. Government. The goal of professional training isn’t simply to impart new knowledge, but to get the trainee to integrate and…
Disclaimer: This article is excerpted and adapted from a longer thesis paper completed during the author’s participation in the 2019-2020 Kathryn Davis PD Fellowship. The opinions expressed in this article belong to the author only and do not represent the views or policies of the U.S. government. As this paper went to press, Americans…
Joe Biden’s election as president is prompting broad reexamination of the United States’ diplomacy under the glare of a skeptical world. The U.S. electorate voted for an improvement in relations with traditional allies as well as for greater respect around the globe, and President Biden’s experience and approach to governing will go a long way…
This Q&A series has emphasized the ways in which PDC members practice Public Diplomacy at all stages of their careers. With this latest installment, PDC member Kathleen Sheehan demonstrates the various forms that a career related to Public Diplomacy can take. My intent is to highlight the importance of intergenerational learning echoes PDC President Sherry…
Hans N. (Tom) Tuch, an early and persistent advocate of public diplomacy as an indispensable element in the conduct of U.S. foreign affairs, died on September 7, 2020 at his residence in Bethesda,MD. He was 95. The cause of death were complications following a recent fall. His seminal book, “Communicating with the World: U.S. Public…
1.“TRACKING” CURRENT U.S. AMBASSADORS: With the constant turnover in U.S. heads of missions and challenges getting nominees speedy Senate confirmation, it is not always easy to keep track of who today’s ambassadors are. The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), therefore, provides a terrific public service by posting a list of who presently is running each…
This next installment of my Q&A Series marks the start of a new chapter; having highlighted some of the Public Diplomacy Council’s new Rising Professional members this summer, I am shifting the series’ focus to feature several of the PDC’s more experienced members in the coming weeks. My intent to highlight the importance of intergenerational…
1. U.S. CRACKS DOWN ON CONFUCIUS INSTITUTES: The days when China could quite freely sponsor Confucius Institutes (CIs) to promote Chinese language and culture on U.S. campuses are over. The State Department has decided to designate the Confucius Institute U.S. Center (CIUS), which is the Washington, DC-based de facto headquarters of the CI network, as…
If you work, you probably have to take computer-based training. That’s fine to acquire some job skills. But what if the topic is something that you need to learn by doing? Have you taken a “workshop” online? Last week I assisted in delivering a workshop for State Department employees via distance learning. For ten years I have…