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Reflections on the Declining Global Influence of American Popular Culture

May 5, 2014, 1:21 pm
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Note: written in 2004 by John Brown, from 

Reposted in response to a brilliant (no wonder I don't fully agree with her) talk by Martha Bayles, author of Through a Screen Darkly: Popular Culture, Public Diplomacy, and America's Image Abroad (2014) at the Public Diplomacy Council on May 5, 2014

Главная страница «Первого сентября» • Главная страница газеты «Английский язык» • Содержание №07/2004

AMERICAN REFLECTIONS

Is the U.S. High Noon Over?

Reflections on the Declining Global Influence of American Popular Culture

“People love to see you are paying attention to their culture. But at the end of the day, they love their Big Macs.”

So says Denis Hennequin, Chief Executive Officer of McDonald’s France, in Fortune Magazine (Tuesday, October 14, 2003).

Mon cher monsieur Hennequin, I beg to disagree.

As an American who lived abroad for over twenty years, I’m not quite convinced that, at the end of the day, non-Americans will continue to love the Big Macs.

True, commentators the world over never cease to point out that America’s popular culture is its no. 1 export, having replaced standard factory and agricultural products.

Pundits of all nationalities are convinced that American popular culture will remain the dominant world culture for decades to come.

But I have my doubts about this triumph-of-American-pop-culture view, just as I was unpersuaded by assertions that the conflicts of history had ended after the U.S. prevailed in the Cold War.

In my view, there are growing indications that American popular culture, in its current form, is losing its global influence. Let me try to explain why.


American Culture’s Loss of Newness


First, and most important, American popular culture no longer appears to be as “new” as it was in the 1900s.

After World War I, for example, when American popular culture’s worldwide ascendance began, one of its unique manifestations – jazz – dazzled Europeans by its newness (to them).

American movies, which in the twentieth century excited and bewildered audiences worldwide with up to then unseen images, led to new social behavior including, perhaps most important, novel ways of attracting the opposite sex.

Detective novels from the United States were a revelation to foreign readers, even among those with highbrow literary tastes. Sam Spade, the tough detective, felt appealingly “new” to non-Americans who read Dashiell Hammett and saw him portrayed by Humphrey Bogart in his filmes noirs.

American clothes were revolutionary in their casualness and stress on relaxation and comfort. After World War II, blue jeans, then quintessentially American, subsequently became a groundbreaking fashion statement of global dimensions.

American advertising, shamelessly proclaiming the newness of the products it peddled, entranced the twentieth-century world by its then unique vitality, characterized by some as vulgarity.

U.S. fast food, dismissed by epicures the world over, was a novelty that drew millions under the golden arches of McDonald’s to savor Coke, hamburgers, and French fries with ketchup.

But the “newness” of American cultural products, their greatest drawing card in the past, is increasingly fading worldwide. In part due to the impact of instant mass communications unrestrained by national boundaries, American popular culture has become all too familiar, even when it is repackaged.

To be sure, there are cultural artifacts originating from America that to others still reveal undiscovered shores. But in an information-saturated world more superficially knowledgeable about the U.S. than ever before, no American cultural product today – for better or for worse – comes close to matching the initial impact on global audiences of twentieth-century American music, movies, pulp fiction, clothes, ads and fast food.

Not the Only Game in the Global Village


A second reason for the decline of American popular culture’s worldwide influence, related to the first, is that, to use hard-nosed language, it’s no longer the only game in the global village.

For many decades during the twentieth century, only America had the resources and technology to produce new forms of popular culture that could spread far beyond its shores.

This is no longer the case. Once typically American cultural items – such as television soap operas or comic books – are now mass-produced in other parts of the world.

“Not only in the Americas but in Russia, China, Romania, Morocco, Afghanistan – well over 100 countries around the world, in all – dubbed or subtitled Novelas [produced in Latin America] reach some 2 billion viewers globally, by industry estimates,” The Boston Globe reports (1/4/2004).

In Japan, “revenue from royalties and sales of music, video games, anime, art, films and fashion soared to $12.5 billion in 2002, up 300 percent from 1992,” notes the same edition of The Globe.

The sounds and images of American popular culture, though still rampant worldwide, are now being subsumed or replaced by other, increasingly competing sources, some of which are more in tune with the tastes of non-American audiences than Hollywood or Disneyland, for all their putative efforts to innovate, can ever imagine.


The Non-American “America” Brand


There is a third reason for the declining influence of American popular culture: the replacement of American-made cultural products by ersatz items that are branded as “American.”

Simply put, American cultural products are increasingly losing their global market share to non-American articles labeled or trying to appear as coming from the US of A.

Take, for example, a college sweatshirt designed and made outside the United States that is sold with the inscription “Harward University [sic].”

This sweatshirt does evoke American popular culture, but a foreign consumer knowing that it wasn’t made in America (and noticing the spelling mistake on it) will conclude, and rightfully so, that it’s not 100% American – and certainly not accurately identifying an elite university in the U.S., Harvard.

Wearing the sweatshirt, therefore, will not really make the consumer the object of “true” American cultural influence, but rather a participant in a global culture that uses American symbols and elements, often erroneously portrayed.

Of course, there’s no such thing as “authentic” American culture, which is a hybrid creation that incessantly recycles and reinvents cultural expressions from other countries and makes them, at least for a short while, exclusively American.

But, even in this era of virtual reality, there’s no way that reproductions of American culture can have the same impact, in the strict sense of a specifically American cultural influence, as original American cultural products per se.

Here it’s useful to think about The Beatles. A multinational phenomenon for decades, they were a turning point in de-Americanizing one of American culture’s most prominent exports, its popular music.

The Fab Four from Liverpool did perform American music, but the sound they produced, enjoyed by millions throughout the world, could no longer be defined as completely “American.”
In a way, The Beatles’s success was a prophetic indication of the future diminution of America’s direct, undiluted cultural impact on other countries.

Anti-Americanism


A fourth reason for the lessening of the American cultural impact throughout the world is a growing global anti-Americanism.

These hostile sentiments toward the United States are in large part due to the policies of the Bush administration, which are viewed negatively in many countries.

President Bush, with his shoot-’em-first mad cow (boy) disease image and aggressive inarticulateness, has not helped in stopping America’s increasing unpopularity abroad.

Other, longer-term reasons for global dissatisfaction with the U.S., many of which already existed and will continue to do so for years, range from what foreigners see as American national arrogance to jealousy regarding America’s power.

While the eagerness of foreign businesses to use America as a brand suggests that anti-Americanism doesn’t necessarily result in the rejection of all things American, increasingly negative views about the U.S. make it more difficult for American popular culture to be welcomed or appreciated abroad. With Americans no longer the universal “good guys” in the eyes of many, their culture is losing its magnetism.

This is borne out by a recent survey by the U.S. public relations firm Edelman. According to theInternational Herald Tribune (January 19), the survey “found that 66 percent of consumers polled in Germany said they were less likely to buy U.S. products as a result of their opposition to U.S. foreign policy. In France, the figure was 64 percent. While 66 percent of American consumers polled said they trusted the Coca-Cola brand, only 40 percent said so in Europe, the poll showed.”

Given these data, it’s not a coincidence that a savvy American-born performer like Madonna, whose show-business career depends on her ability to re-invent herself, has now chosen to live in London. She senses, perhaps, that her appeal worldwide can be maintained only if she diminishes some of the “Americaness” of her public persona and presents herself as more European or, better still (to use a word in a Beatles song), as a “nowhere” person.

To cite a related example, it should come as no surprise that Radio Sawa, a major initiative by the U.S. Government-funded Voice of America to reach out to young audiences in the Arab world, broadcasts both American and Arabic pop music. Its producers are well aware that, in a region marked by extreme anti-Americanism, presenting American culture alone will not suffice in improving America’s standing. U.S. hit songs need to be programmed together with local popular music in order to have an effective impact in making Middle Eastern youth more favorably inclined toward the United States.


The Once American Language


A fifth reason for the loss of American popular culture’s influence worldwide is the global evolution of the English language.

Before the twentieth century, there were only two main variants of English: British and American. As British political, economic, and cultural influence waned in the 1900s, however, American English became the dominant world language. It was a major vehicle for the dissemination of American popular culture abroad.

In the past century, American English had a certain, to some, irritating allure – in the way Americans pronounce the letter “r,” for example – which foreigners entranced with American popular culture would adopt to show how “American” they had become, willingly annoying, to their considerable pleasure, Anglophiles in the process.

The more widespread American English became, however, the less it was identified as a specifically “American” language. Indeed, as now the world’s lingua franca, the American language is no longer automatically associated with the United States. As a result, American English is not necessarily considered an expression of American popular culture.

Today, the use of American English by non-Americans doesn’t mean they have an interest in, or even are influenced by, the United States or its culture; for them it’s just a language, originating in the United States, that’s useful in communicating internationally.

Without the American language as a component defining its identity to foreign audiences, American popular culture has lost one of the key tools that created its worldwide influence.


Hopelessly Utopian Thoughts?


I think American popular culture, at its best, belongs to the great achievements of mankind. At its worst, it often deserves the condemnation it receives, both in the United States and abroad.

One can admire that great American invention, jazz, while being repelled by the senseless violence promulgated by U.S. entertainment monopolies.

I have used the hazy term “American popular culture” reluctantly. There are so many cultures in the United States (which is not a culturally united state) so that to limit its infinite cultural variety with one label leads to an intellectual dead-end.

But let me suppose for a moment that there’s such a thing as American popular culture, if only to make the following point which, granted, is perhaps hopelessly utopian:

For American popular culture to be influential in our rapidly changing world in a significant way, it cannot simply be considered a “product” to be sold to global consumers, but be a meaningful artistic contribution to the rich cultural heritage of mankind.

It would thereby offer a substantive alternative to the de-humanization brought about by globalization and, like some of its better manifestations in the twentieth century, would be considered fresh, original, and relevant to the concerns of people throughout the world.
John Brown
John H. Brown was a U.S. Foreign Service Officer for over twenty years. He edits a daily “Public Diplomacy Press Review” available free of charge by requesting it at: johnhbrown30@hotmail.com .
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Putin's Four Dirty Words

May 6, 2014, 8:02 am
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From

PUTIN’S FOUR DIRTY WORDS

POSTED BY 

putin-russian-swears.jpg
No wonder so many cultural conservatives, from Pat Buchanan to the leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church, adore Vladimir Putin: he projects bare-chested swagger, and he is also developing a form of Russian cultural conservatism intended as a rejection of Western permissiveness. First, there was the anti-gay propaganda law. Then came the assault on N.G.O.s and on press freedoms, from the printed page to television to the Internet. Now Putin has decided to take on the Russian language—in particular, its florid and flexible lexicon of profanity, known as mat. On Monday, Putin signed legislation that has been floating around the Duma for years: as of July 1st, there will be no swearing in movies and theatrical productions or from the concert stage.
You won’t read it in your local family newspaper, but the law centers on the four pillars of mat: there is khuy (“cock”), pizda (“cunt”), ebat’ (“to fuck”), and blyad (“whore”). Sorry about that, but the English equivalents are, if anything, rather pallid and polite. And that’s just the beginning, the base ingredients for the great lexical fantasia of mat. As Victor Erofeyev describes at delicious length in his 2003 article “Dirty Words,” there are thousands of variations and elaborations on these four words, and they go back to the earliest Russian classics. (The page of variations on ebat’, part of a tremendously detailed online dictionary of Russian swearing, gives a sense of the possibilities.)
It makes one wonder what Putin and Co. will do when faced with, say, a public recitation of  Lermontov’s 1834 poem “A Holiday in Peterhof”:
And so, I will not pay you
However, if you are a simple blyad
You should consider it an honor
To be acquainted with the cadet’s khuy!
Will there be a seventy-dollar fine (or more) as delineated in the new law? Pushkin, who is as close to the core of Russian identity as any artist in the nation’s history, wrote in “The Wagon of Life” (as translated by A. Z. Foreman):
At dawn we jump inside the wagon.
Happy to break our necks like glass,
We scorn life’s hedonistic languor,
And yell “Man, fuck it! Just haul ass!”
Pushkin is also famous for “Tsar Nikita and His Forty Daughters,” a poem that damns “Sanctimonious Censorship” and, as Erofeyev reminds us, describes a culture of women missing their sex organs: “The Tsar dispatches his heralds in search of them and after arduous ordeals they are recovered.”
According to the Moscow Times, the Institute of Russian Language at the Russian Academy of Sciences settled on the obvious four words. A spokesman for the Ministry of Culture told the Times that the new strictures will be limited to pop culture and will not apply to matters of art: “It will be up to the artistic director to decide what to do with swearing, whether to break the new law or not, we will not interfere in the process.” Will they pursue the Pushkin declaimers? The Russian Orthodox Church and conservative members of the legislature have long sought such a law; they see the common use of mat as a manifestation of pro-Western, permissive influences.
It will be a source of some fascination to see how ardently the authorities decide to prosecute the new laws, considering that, as Erofeyev writes, “the syllables blya-blya-blya and yob-yob-yob echo through the air above Russia like the bleeps of a sputnik.” It used to be that mat was mostly the province of prisoners and working-class men. It was once said that “when a woman swears in mat, Christ’s wounds open.” In the nineties and beyond, as society became more open, more liberal, mat became more and more prevalent. Now President Putin, who has been known to use a blistering phrase of mat himself in private meetings, has shown his determination to stopper public speech and turn back the clock on the vast society under his rule.
Photograph: Alexei Druzhinin/RIA Novosti/Reuters.
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The below is not considered "junk" by hotmail; but the Public Diplomacy Review at times is.

May 6, 2014, 8:15 am
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The wonders of modern "Interactive" communications technology

Re the below, received on my hotmail email today: In contrast to it, the Public Diplomacy Review is at times considered "junk" by hotmail; see.

From Dr. Hama Ibrahim‏

"Hamza Ibrahim" (hamza.ibrahim06@terra.com) Add to contacts 3:02 PM Keep this message at the top of your inbox
hamza.ibrahim06@terra.com
From: Dr. Hamza Ibrahim
Dear Friend,

I have a proposal for you, this however is not mandatory nor will I in any manner compel you to honor the content against your will. I am Dr. Hamza Ibrahim, I work with a bank (one of the leading banks in Africa). Here in this bank exists a dormant account for the past 10 years which belongs to an American national who is now late, Mr. John Cuthbertson, who died on Alaska Airlines on Alaska Airline Flight 261 in January 31, 2000.

When I discovered that there had been no deposits or withdrawals from this account for this long period, I decided to carry out a system investigation and discovered that none of the family members nor relations of the late person is aware of this account. Now I want an account overseas where the bank will transfer this fund.

Thereafter, I will destroy all related documents to this account. It is a careful network and for the past eleven months I have worked out everything to ensure a hitch-free operation. The amount plus all the accumulated interest is US$15,500,000.00 (Fifteen million, Fivehundred thousand US Dollars only).

Now my questions are: -
1. Can you handle this project?
2. Can I give you this trust?
3. What will be your commission if you can facilitate the movement of this fund into your bank account?

Consider these and get back to me as soon as possible with your full names, private telephone and fax numbers, corresponding postal address, etc. Finally, it is my humble request that the information as contained herein be accorded with every confidentiality and the necessary secrecy it deserves I expect your urgent response to this request.


Respectfully yours,
Yours Sincerely,
Dr.Hamza Ibrahim
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The world's largest army

May 6, 2014, 2:14 pm
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By the time of his second inaugural, "The American president [Lincoln] now commanded the world's largest army."

Kevin Peraino, Lincoln in the World: The Making of a Statesman and the Dawn of American Power (2013), p. 283
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у меня больше 3000 фоловеров в России. что будет с мной?

May 6, 2014, 4:30 pm
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4 Problems Awaiting Putin in Ukraine Gambit

May 7, 2014, 1:30 am
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From The Moscow Times. Via PG on Facebook

4 Problems Awaiting Putin in Ukraine Gambit

Smigid.ru
As the Ukrainian crisis intensifies, Western policymakers are still struggling to come to terms with the logic of Russia's actions in Ukraine. Instead of formulating a strategy to stabilize Ukraine, they have participated in a ­Russian-orchestrated game to de-escalate tensions in which they have pretended that Russia is a partner that shares the same objective.
The April 17 Geneva agreement has proved meaningless because Russia has chosen to escalate tensions to achieve its version of stabilization: a "federalized" Ukraine with its industrial heartland under de facto Russian control.
The other part of the West's response has been sanctions. So far, they have had little impact on Moscow because of their limited nature.
Western policymakers need to recognize that while President Vladimir Putin is playing an audacious game, he has started to box himself in. To advance toward his goal, he has to escalate the situation further. The reputed master tactician is not necessarily a brilliant strategist. He may even be a poor tactician if he is reacting to events more than he is controlling them.
Putin's foray into Ukraine has come up against four serious problems:
1. Crimea is now a Russian island. It is dependent on water and electricity supplied from mainland Ukraine as well as road access across Ukrainian territory. Russia controls none of these and cannot create substitutes quickly. Preserving these links is a necessity that might require military intervention.
2. The people of southeastern Ukraine have not risen up in support of the separatists, indicating that there is limited appetite in these regions for secession from Ukraine. Foiling the May 25 presidential election will probably require using Russian proxies to stir up further trouble. The risk, however, is that the violence on both sides could easily spin out of control.
3. Kiev is trying to stand its ground and is deploying forces in an effort to evict the separatists. Even partial success by the Ukrainian Army will increase the pressure on Putin to intervene militarily to protect Russian speakers. Russia's constant warnings about chaos and civil war in Ukraine appears to be intended to prepare the public for a decisive move to stabilize Ukraine ­— perhaps by sending "peacekeeping forces" to the eastern regions of Ukraine. This would certainly force Western countries to adopt tougher punitive measures, possibly sector-specific sanctions, but if Putin hesitates to act, he risks showing weakness
4. "Federalization" does not solve the problem of the self-proclaimed republic of Transdnestr and increases the need to create a land bridge to Ukraine's western border. This carries significant risks because it would very likely trigger a war with Ukraine. This would probably be a prolonged military conflict, particularly given the history of partisan resistance in the western regions.
While Putin is encountering difficulties at the tactical level, he is losing ground at the strategic level because of the growing levels of alienation that his policies are creating beyond the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. Outside these areas, economic and cultural links with Russia are less strong and Ukrainian identity is more developed.
For Ukrainians in these parts of the country, the Russian model of governance has been unattractive for most of the 23 years Ukraine has been independent. It holds even less appeal after Russia's aggression against Ukraine and its shift to an old-­fashioned brand of conservative imperialism.
By contrast, the remarkable transformation of Poland over the past 20 years has had a profound influence on Ukrainians' perceptions of their own shortcomings and highlighted the possibilities of reforming Ukraine on a European model. In December, Putin dismissed the Ukrainian opposition's focus on Europe, arguing that it was easy to mislead people about what a European Union Association Agreement really involved by seducing them with visions of living in Paris. This remark betrayed a lack of understanding of how politics in Ukraine had changed.
Ukraine's February revolution demonstrated that there is a strong and growing constituency in Ukrainian society that will no longer tolerate crony capitalism. Ukrainians are determined to build new institutions to protect their rights and hold their leaders accountable.
If Western policymakers are serious about countering Russia's effort to dismantle Ukraine, they need to think beyond tactical "de-escalation" to exploit Russia's chief weakness in Ukraine: its inability to offer an attractive way of life to Ukrainians.
Ukrainians need to hear an unequivocal message from the West saying that it will support the modernization of Ukraine and will find resources to help put the country on a different trajectory — if that is what Ukrainians choose.
Although Putin holds important political and economic levers in Ukraine, he is vulnerable at both the tactical and strategic levels. If he escalates the situation further, he faces the risk of setting off uncontrolled violence. Conflict of this kind would not necessarily stop at the Russian border. It might have a boomerang effect on Russia itself, encouraging some regions to try to redefine their relations with Moscow.
Putin has suffered serious policy failures in Ukraine on two previous occasions based on a misreading of attitudes in Ukraine. The first was when he backed Viktor Yanukovych's fraudulent victory in the 2004 presidential election, only to see the Orange Revolution install a government friendly to the West. The second failure came in February with the spectacular collapse of Yanukovych's rule after he had strong-armed the Ukrainian president into rejecting the Association Agreement with the EU.
Western policymakers have yet to decide if they are prepared to stand up for Ukraine and, if so, how far their support will extend. As they weigh their options, they should consider the vulnerabilities that Putin has created for himself and recognize that strong Western support for deep reforms to modernize Ukraine is the most powerful tool available for resisting Russia's efforts to destroy the country.
John Lough is an associate fellow with the Russia & Eurasia Program at Chatham House.
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Putin: Ideological, Putin: Ideological, Not Irrational

May 7, 2014, 2:12 am
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Putin: Ideological, Putin: Ideological, Not Irrational - Mark Movsesian,
firstthings.com

Friday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”—the breakfast salon of the bien pensant—Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Rick Stengel took on Vladimir Putin. Stengel attempted to explain how Putin’s conduct in Ukraine damages Putin’s own interests. Putin, Stengel told his interlocutor Steven Rattner with an air of frustration, “is making fundamental errors” that would get him in trouble with the Russian people. “He’s moving further away from the West,” Stengel said, at a time when “people want to be closer to the West.” Rattner agreed that Putin is being “irrational.” Isn’t it obvious?

In fact, it isn’t at all obvious that Putin is being irrational or that people around the world want to be closer to the West, at least not in the way Stengel seems to think. It is very difficult for Americans to understand this, but on many issues we are cultural outliers. America, especially its professional class, has what psychologists call a WEIRD culture—Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic. WEIRDs are very secular. They place great emphasis on personal autonomy; indeed, autonomy may be their most important value. That’s one reason why America works so hard to support movements like feminism and gay rights abroad.
By contrast, most of the world’s cultures are not WEIRD. They are not secular and do not see personal autonomy as the most important value. Jonathan Haidt explains this very well in his recent book, The Righteous Mind. Many world cultures, Haidt writes, have an “ethic of community” that sees people principally as members of collectives—families, tribes, and nations—with strong claims to loyalty. Many have an “ethic of divinity,” which holds that people’s principal duty is to God, not themselves. “In such societies,” Haidt writes, “the personal liberty of secular Western nations looks like libertinism, hedonism, and a celebration of humanity’s baser instincts.”
Putin is many things, but he is not a WEIRD. He has been making clear for years that he does not aspire for Russia to become a WEIRD society. The values he promotes are nationalism, authority, loyalty, and religion. Especially religion. As a perceptive post by national security expert John Schindler explains, Putin’s worldview contains a large element of Holy Russia/Third Rome ideology, “a powerful admixture of Orthodoxy, ethnic mysticism, and Slavophile tendencies that has deep resonance in Russian history.” Of course, Putin may be insincere. Like many dictators, he may simply be using religion to his advantage. But, even if his convictions are phony, the challenge he poses to the West is fundamentally a cultural and ideological one.
And many Russians support him. Putin has been extremely good at exploiting the suspicion that many Russians feel about the West and its values—especially America and its values. Notwithstanding Stengel’s assertion, Putin is not acting against the wishes of his own people. Indeed, his popularity at home has been growing since the start of the Ukraine crisis. And, as Schindler explains, it’s not only Russians who think the way Putin does. “There are plenty of people in the world who don’t like Putin or Russia, yet who are happy that someone, somewhere is standing up to American hegemony.” The thuggery in Ukraine will cost him some of this support. But many people will be inclined to dismiss Putin’s conduct as a reassertion of Russia’s traditional interest in its near-abroad.
In other words, our conflict with Russia is not simply about politics, or economics, or even national security. It’s about culture and values. It’s not that Putin insufficiently appreciates what WEIRDness requires. He’s not a WEIRD at all. He doesn’t want to be. The people who run our foreign policy should understand this. If Stengel’s appearance on Friday is any indication, they don’t.
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The Dos and Don'ts: From Scottish Diplomacy and Chinese Etiquette

May 7, 2014, 5:02 am
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From Scottish Diplomacy and Chinese Etiquette

THE DOS AND DON'TS

DO spend time reading the business card of your Chinese colleague. It's seen as rude to simply slip it into your pocket straight away without reading it.

DO offer your business card in return, using both hands. Using one hand may offend.

DO be careful about where you sit in meetings. The lowest-ranking member of a group will sit with their back to the door and the highest facing it. Sitting in the wrong seat could cause great offence.

DON'T stick your chopsticks into your food and leave them sitting upright. This is a big no-no in Chinese culture.

DO return hospitality to the same level you have received it. This is very important and could be seen as a snub if you offer less in return.

DON'T tell your prospective colleague from China that you will meet them at the hotel. They could well expect to be met at the airport.

DO ensure your staff are of an equal level. For example, make sure a director speaks to a director and so on down the hierarchical chain.
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Here’s why most Russia experts don’t 'get' Russia

May 7, 2014, 9:58 am
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From Russia Direct; via LOS on Facebook

Here’s why most Russia experts don’t 'get' Russia

May 7, 2014Gulnaz Sharafutdinova
Russia experts should admit that their understanding of Russia is far from perfect if they hope to analyze the motives and thinking of the Kremlin’s 'movers and shakers.'
The U.S. academic community should focus more on an interdisciplinary approach to Russian Studies if it hopes to understand Russia better. Photo: Mark Grubstein / RBTH
The world had changed in the last two months, entering the brave, new post-Crimea reality of revived geopolitical polarization and a low-intensity, hybrid form of warfare between Russia and the West. Against the background of these dramatic changes, Russia experts once again had to admit to the limits of their analysis and their understanding of Russia’s political ‘movers and shakers.’
Less than three months ago, as the world watched the Sochi Olympics, the media focused on corruption and the billions of dollars spent on this event, while casual observers shared their opinions on the grandiosity of the Olympics opening and closing ceremonies andphotos of the yellow water and the ‘twin’ toilets in the Olympic city.  No one could have imagined the situation evolving in such a dramatic direction.
The memory of the Sochi Olympics is now a thing of the past. Instead, we have the drama of a renewed confrontation between Russia and the West. The search for who - or what - is to blame for such failure of imagination in the U.S. started promptly.
Journalists, academics, and policymakers joined the discussion pointing, as former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul has, to a ‘shorter bench’ of Russia experts in the government, to funding cuts after the end of the Cold War that resulted in the thinning ranks of Russia experts with nuanced area knowledge, to a broader lack of interest in Russia and its neighboring region and, finally, to political scientists’ preference and the disciplinary reward system privileging abstract models and number-crunching at the expense of deeper area expertise.
All these factors indeed deserve careful attention, discussion and rethinking if the quality of policymaking on Russia is to improve. The discussion, however, should not stop at that.
The truth is that Russia scholars – political scientists, anthropologists, sociologists and cultural theorists – have been producing politically relevant and insightful work that could have arguably led to the understanding and intellectual capture of the ‘emergent possibilities’ in Russian politics and geopolitics in a more systematic and less fortuitous manner. Certainly, in a more systematic manner than when former U.S. presidential candidate and Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin all but predicted in 2008 that Russia would invade Ukraine.
The trick, though, is that the scholarship in various disciplines needs to be combined and synthesized in order to understand Russia more accurately and deeply. Let me focus on three disciplines – political science, anthropology and cultural/Slavic studies - to argue that, when considered together, the recent scholarship has pointed to the potential of Russia’s sudden geopolitical aggression and could have enabled policymakers and experts to develop more forward-looking political imagination about Russia.
How U.S. political scientists see Russia
Thus, Russia experts in political science have been focused on the political regime and the nature, role and operation of formal and informal institutions – political parties, elections, and patronage practices – in a hybrid regime that combines democratic and authoritarian elements.
Among the major (and by now already banal) findings of this literature is that formal institutions do not constrain political leadership in Russia.
Decision-making is done in a closely-knit circle of Putin’s trusted associates and massive formal and informal resources are concentrated at the very top; the regime pursues strategic deinstitutionalization or creates ‘substitute institutions’; elections are frequently fraudulent even if Putin does care for public opinion and has pretty broad genuine support basis; the parliament is a ‘pocket’ one; and the parties and the media are managed from the Kremlin.
In short, besides potential popular wrath, the Kremlin is not constrained by much else, thus opening the space for potentially ‘surprising’ turns and twists in politics.
Most recent research on Putin’s regime risked revealing its early criminal origins, hammering the last nail on the coffin of Russian political institutions and revealing the bespredel(lawlessness in English) of which the Russian political establishment is allegedly capable.
The view from anthropologists, historians, and cultural theorists
While political scientists were for the most part busy with exploring institutions, anthropologists, historians, and cultural theorists looked into societal, cultural and psychological factors at play in Russia.
Among major themes that have dominated this literature are the issues of trauma, loss and wounded national identity that have been central to the formation of the Russian psyche after the fall of the Soviet Union.  Consider three exemplary and interrelated works by an anthropologist, historian and a cultural theorist.
Sergei Oushakine’s Patriotism of Despair: Nation, War and Loss in Russia (Cornell University Press, 2009) offered an understanding of Russian society through the exploration of “communities of loss” emerging in the new Russia. The book highlighted the emotional pain and suffering that Russian citizens have endured during the post-Soviet era.
Oushakine points to the dominance of despair – a combination of recklessness and hopelessness – that have become the driving forces behind action in a fragmented social world.
Yana Hashamova’s Pride and Panic: Russian Imagination of the West (Intellect, 2007) explores the type of society that emerged after the Soviet collapse through films (particularly those produced after 1991). Films were viewed as a social mirror, a template reflecting cultural values in the society.
Hashamova focuses specifically on Russia’s uneasy relation to the West that has shifted from “euphoric acceptance” to “paranoid rejection.”  Drawing on psychoanalysis, sociology and feminism, Hashamova explores the post-Soviet cinematic representations of Russian national consciousness exposing a mix of fear, anger, and anxiety as the emotions central to the post-Soviet Russian society.
In her analysis of Balabanov’s hugely successful blockbusters Brat (1997) and Brat-2 (2000) she argues, for example, that, “The fantasy structure of Russian viewers shifts in these films from demonized/idealized West to a morally superior, Russian (masculine) national identity.”
Finally, Steve Norris’s Blockbuster History in the New Russia: Movies, Memory and Patriotism (Indiana University Press, 2012) focuses on the Russian films of the 2000s, noting their pursuit of patriotic renewal and exploring cultural, economic, political and institutional actors involved in funding, producing, and marketing these films.
These are just few examples of cultural studies that uncover the emotions and aspirations lying ‘beneath the surface’ in Russian society and constituting a powerful charge – the social and cultural potential available for being used and manipulated by the political leadership.
The radical shift in the Kremlin’s discourse in 2011-2012 towards privileging the themes of patriotism, morality and traditional values, and the new discourse about Russia as a separate and unique civilization, different and even morally superior to the West, represented an important discursive shift on the side of the Kremlin in the direction of embracing the existing social and cultural potential.
In the absence of working institutions, organized social groups or independent elites that could have constrained the Kremlin’s decision-making, amidst the events in Ukraine, Putin was able to tap into that emotional charge present in the society. Not unsurprisingly, Putin was able to trigger a bout of national joy, securing legitimacy for the regime and obtaining a record-level public support for himself personally.
A solution in the cross-section of disciplines
In sum, the glimpse of things to come in Russia is available at the cross-section of disciplines. Deep understanding of Russia requires a synthesis of findings in political science, history, anthropology, sociology and cultural studies. Unfortunately, there are relatively few intellectual centers in the U.S. where such synthesis is cultivated.
The U.S. academic community should focus more on an interdisciplinary approach to Russian Studies if it hopes to understand Russia better. And establishing new centers for interdisciplinary studies of Russia and supporting the existing ones would tap into the strong disciplinary expertise already available.
The opinion of the author may not necessarily reflect the position of Russia Direct or its staff.
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May 5-7 Public Diplomacy Review

May 7, 2014, 3:00 pm
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"The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place."


--George Bernard Shaw; image from

PUBLIC DISCUSSION

J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board Explores "'The Fulbright Effect' and the Future of Public Diplomacy and Global Education: yumanewsnow.com: "The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, in partnership with The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, will host a public discussion, The Fulbright Effect: How do we shape the future of public diplomacy and global education?, on Thursday, May 8, 2014, from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm EDT. An international online audience will engage with four prominent experts to explore new ideas and developments in the field of international education and research. This global outreach event will be live streamed at www.watchitoo.com/show/wav-772 and will take place at the Wilson Center, Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, One Woodrow Wilson Plaza, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20004 (6th Floor Moynihan Board Room). ... The U.S. Government’s Fulbright Program is supported by the people of the United States and partner countries around the world. Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 325,000 participants from over 180 countries with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board was established by the United States Congress. "

PODCAST

[LISTEN] U.S. Public Diplomacy in a Digital Context - thepublicdiplomat.com: "Michael Ardaiolo discusses the U.S.public diplomacy’s shift toward a digital world


with Dr. Craig Hayden." Hayden image from entry

LOIS ROTH ENDOWMENT

Lois Roth Endowment - Anne Barbaro, PDAA Today [scroll down link for item]

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

U.S. Increases Support for Media, Press Freedom in Ukraine - iipdigital.usembassy.gov: "The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is providing an additional $1.25 million to the U-MEDIA program in Ukraine, a project of Internews and its Ukrainian partner organizations aimed at supporting Ukrainian media outlets as they prepare for the Ukrainian presidential election on May 25. Members of the media in Ukraine have faced serious challenges and dangers over the past several months, USAID said in announcing the grant on its website May 2. More than 500 journalists have been harassed, beaten or abducted since November 2013, and one journalist was killed.


Media outlets have been attacked and news-gathering equipment has been seized or destroyed, USAID said. 'USAID supports a strong and independent media in Ukraine,' said Paige Alexander, USAID assistant administrator for the Bureau for Europe and Eurasia. 'This additional funding will help to protect vulnerable journalists while also advancing press freedoms and democratic governance in Ukraine.'"Image from entry, with caption: A masked pro-Russian man blindfolds Ukrainian journalist Irma Krat after she was shown to journalists in Slovyansk, eastern Ukraine, April 21. USAID says more than 500 journalists have been harassed, beaten or abducted since November 2013.

Putin: Ideological, Putin: Ideological, Not Irrational - Mark Movsesian, firstthings.com: "Last Friday on MSNBC’s 'Morning Joe'— the breakfast salon of the bien pensant — Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Rick Stengel took on Vladimir Putin. Stengel attempted to explain how Putin’s conduct in Ukraine damages Putin’s own interests. Putin, Stengel told his interlocutor Steven Rattner with an air of frustration, 'is making fundamental errors' that would get him in trouble with the Russian people. 'He’s moving further away from the West,' Stengel said, at a time when 'people want to be closer to the West.' Rattner agreed that Putin is being 'irrational.' Isn’t it obvious? In fact, it isn’t at all obvious that Putin is being irrational or that people around the world want to be closer to the West, at least not in the way Stengel seems to think. It is very difficult for Americans to understand this, but on many issues we are cultural outliers. America, especially its professional class, has what psychologists call a WEIRD culture—Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic.


WEIRDs are very secular. They place great emphasis on personal autonomy; indeed, autonomy may be their most important value. That’s one reason why America works so hard to support movements like feminism and gay rights abroad. By contrast, most of the world’s cultures are not WEIRD. They are not secular and do not see personal autonomy as the most important value. ... Notwithstanding Stengel’s assertion, Putin is not acting against the wishes of his own people. Indeed, his popularity at home has been growing since the start of the Ukraine crisis. ... In other words, our conflict with Russia is not simply about politics, or economics, or even national security. It’s about culture and values. It’s not that Putin insufficiently appreciates what WEIRDness requires. He’s not a WEIRD at all. He doesn’t want to be. The people who run our foreign policy should understand this. If Stengel’s appearance on Friday is any indication, they don’t."Image from

On World Press Freedom Day, how free is the Burmese media? - Angus Watson, dvb.no: "UNESCO has proclaimed 3 May as World Press Freedom Day as a 'reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom'. Yet the Burmese media landscape is blighted by the existence of six imprisoned media workers while the Ministry of Information (MoI) appears driven by an agenda seemingly at odds with a revitalised Burmese media community. ... US Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Richard Stengel last week visited Naypyidaw where, according to a US Embassy statement, he affirmed that 'the [Burmese] political space has opened significantly in the last three years, and the government has taken important steps to cultivate an environment conducive to free, fair and independent media, a critical element of a vibrant democracy.' ... Yet 'while press freedom conditions in Burma have generally improved, there are elements in government, including the Ministry of Information, that are uncomfortable with the more open reporting environment and are trying to reassert control over the press,' said Shawn Crispin, Southeast Asia representative to the Committee to Protect Journalists."

Department of State Public Schedule May 6, 2014 - rockycoastnews.blogspot.com: "UNDER SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS RICHARD STENGEL 11:00 a.m. Under Secretary Stengel meets with People’s Republic of China Vice Minister of Education Hao Ping, at the Department of State."

Racism: We buried an empty casket - Wordsmithtotle in Global Affairs: "Th[is] photo


was published ahead of Obama’s state visit to the Netherlands and Belgium. There was furore and public condemnation of De Morgen and the newspaper thereafter tendered an apology. I’m a member of the Young African Leaders Initiative Network, a brilliant initiative by President Obama to 'support young African leaders as they spur growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across Africa'. In a tweet-meet we held at about the same time that the controversy was raging, I tweeted questions at


Evan Ryan (Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs), Rick Stengel (Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs), Macon Phillips and the YALI Network using the Twitter hashtag #YALIChat. I asked the following questions: If the President of The United States can still face such a racist, insensitive act, how do young African leaders deal with this sort of thing? As African youth try to integrate in the global village, we will still face racism. What do we do? To canvass global support against covert and overt racism, shouldn’t Belgium have been struck off President Obama’s itinerary? That measure has been adopted by FIFA and UEFA in football. Black players have even walked off the field of play. ... Sports, music, fashion, entertainment and other forms of cultural diplomacy will in the evolving ecosystem of the 21st century, play pivotal roles in bridging gaps and healing the wounds inflicted in the hearts, minds and bodies of people all over the world. I find it instructive and particularly commendable that it is the NBA, a privately-owned organization that has taken such a bold, unrelenting stand against racism."Images from entry

No, Obama is Not Spending $2.7 Mil on Communist Propaganda in Vietnam - Peter van Buren, We Meant Well: "A number of conservative outlets have featured a story like this one, 'Obama Spending $2.7 Mil to Broadcast Communist Propaganda to Vietnam.' The article quotes from somewhere (no attribution or link): ['] The Department of Health and Human Services is spending $2,797,979 on a study that brings television to more than a dozen remote villages in Vietnam to study its impact on their culture and reproductive behavior. [']  ... The media claiming the U.S. is funding Red propaganda, and/or just throwing away money, are, not surprisingly, wrong. Reading the actual grant from the U.S. National Institute of Health (for only $705k; not sure where the $2.7 million number came from), we learn that the purpose has little to do with Commies: ['] Billions of dollars are spent worldwide on television campaigns to promote population health even though we lack clear evidence of a causal link between television and family formation and reproductive health.


Although a substantial research literature documents television’s effects, existing research is primarily associational; making it impossible to establish a causal direction or to eliminate the possibility that a third variable is responsible for the observed associations. In defending these existing research problems, many note that because television is so widely available, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to randomly assign members of a target audience to comparison and intervention groups. ['] The idea of researching the impact of something at the cost of maybe millions to better spend billions seems to make sense. The idea of finding a place without any TV that is also safe to work in and somewhat accessible means that isolated hill villages in Vietnam are exactly the kind of location you need."Uncaptioned image from entry

Leading Change and Innovation from Inside and Out: Building Models of Social Responsibility - Nathan Hoffmann, fulbright.be: "One of the most exciting aspects of being a Fulbright grantee in Belgium this year has been the numerous opportunities to meet driven individuals from a variety of backgrounds who are all trying to change the world for the better.


Today the Office of Public Diplomacy and the Commercial Service of the U.S. Embassy here in Brussels provided one such opportunity with a panel discussion on 'Leading Change and Innovation from Inside and Out: Building Models of Social Responsibility,' the latest installment in the Embassy Federal Women’s Program series on 'Women in Leadership in International Relations.'” Uncaptioned image from entry

U.S. Sports Envoy Brings Optimism, Hope to Palestinians- Richard Buangan, geneva.usmission.gov: "This blog post by Richard Buangan originally appeared on the State Department’s Dipnote blog on May 4. Buangan serves as a public affairs officer at the American Consulate General in Jerusalem. ... [T]his April, U.S. Consulate General Jerusalem was honored to host Olympic gold medalist


Jackie Joyner-Kersee, the first-ever U.S. Sports Envoy to Jerusalem and the West Bank. ... Whether meeting with prominent Palestinian athletes, cheering on Palestinians with disabilities who were participating in sports camps in table tennis and wheelchair basketball, or encouraging university students interested in fitness and health sciences to pursue their dreams, Jackie Joyner-Kersee was a superstar — both on and off the track. She helped reinvigorate the true meaning of public diplomacy in a region struggling for peace and stability, and proved that not only is she one of the greatest all-around athletes in U.S. history, she is a talented goodwill ambassador who can build bridges between Americans and other people of the world."Image from entry, with caption: American track and field great Jackie Joyner-Kersee poses with a Palestinian woman in Ramallah.

Engaging with People through Public Diplomacy - Donald Bishop, Public Diplomacy Council: "A fundamental reassessment of Public Diplomacy’s premises, programs, priorities, and doctrines is long overdue, but I don’t see anyone in the Department who realizes the need for renewal, reform, reassessment, or what Ambassador McNamara called 'rebalance.' There’s another factor. We used to say that Public Diplomacy was to 'tell America’s story to the world.' That presumed there was one story – the story of freedom, progress, and prosperity. But our new awareness of American diversity has led us to take a more candid look at our history. ... A world without American leadership – think about it. In such a world, there would be more predators, more pirates, more terrorism, more ethnic strife, more border tensions, more poverty, less freedom of religion, less opportunity, and less security. Public Diplomacy can play an important role as part of American leadership. Or, to use David Brooks’ phrase, it’s part of the ecosystem of the liberal international order. It’s also where Americans in many walks of life join diplomacy in tangible, face-to-face ways. So, here’s my message. Let the debates swirl on foreign affairs, foreign policy, and diplomacy. But know that the White House, Capitol Hill, the Pentagon, and the think tanks have no exclusive role. In Public Diplomacy particularly, Uncle Sam needs you. The world needs you."

What Is Hillary Clinton Afraid Of? – Glenn Thrush and Maggie Haberman – POLITICO Magazine - slinkingtowardretirement.com: "[Philippe] Reines and Cheryl Mills, Clinton’s tough right-hand woman at Foggy Bottom, also sought to bring more of their bare-knuckles political sensibility to the vast State Department PR shop, decreeing that while basic questions about policy would still be funneled through Assistant Secretary of State P.J. Crowley, anything that even remotely touched on the secretarial person was to be considered the exclusive province of Reines and Mills. That worked just fine for the Clinton palace guard, but it sowed confusion in a building accustomed to prescribed lines of authority and sapped morale to the point where the department’s inspector general was called in to investigate, concluding that Clinton’s staff needed to improve ‘internal communication’ with everybody else. Reines, the IG wrote, ‘has important access to the Secretary, but needs to communicate information transparently to the Assistant Secretary and other colleagues and to draw more upon the talents of Foreign Service and Civil Service employees in the bureau.’ Reines, a novice in the elaborate world of diplomatic protocol, soon became famous for his email flame wars with reporters and played a minor walk-on role in history as the aide who had the lame idea to hand Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov a gimmicky red ‘reset’ button, all the more embarrassing when the translation proved to be wrong. But the political bent of the communications team also served Clinton’s public diplomacy ambitions.


Crowley, then the department’s spokesman, remembers a 2010 trip to Pakistan, where Clinton calmly moved among news crews in Lahore and cheerfully fielded any question thrown her way. ‘She brought a political perspective,’ Crowley says. ‘It was really a campaign approach she was using. … Perhaps a question now is whether she’ll use what she learned at State on a campaign.’ Despite Clinton’s dismissal of 2016 presidential talk, it was clear to veteran observers that she was conducting herself in a way that wouldn’t preclude future ambitions. She ‘was very careful to frame everything in the context of the administration’s policy,’ says Andrea Mitchell, who traveled often with Clinton as NBC’s chief foreign affairs correspondent. ‘That said, she didn’t take on some of the more politically charged challenges that could be problematic down the road for someone running for president. And the contrast with [Secretary of State John] Kerry, her successor, is very obvious. He’s taken a lot of risks.’”
Clinton image from entry

PDAA Honors Professionals Who Are Making a Difference - "[T]he 17th annual PDAA Award for Achievement in Public Diplomacy ... [honor] efforts to advance U.S. foreign policy through creative, innovative and effective public diplomacy strategies.


PDAA, which is a volunteer, nonprofit organization of current and former State Department, broadcast, academic and private sector public diplomacy professionals, recognized the six awardees at an annual dinner held May 4 in Washington, D.C."Image from entry, with caption: Emerging Artists Workshop organized by The Phillips Collection and the U.S. Department of State at the Alhamra Arts Center in Lahore, Pakistan

A New Voice of America: U.S. international broadcasting gets a 21st-century upgrade - Review and Outlook (Europe), Wall Street Journal: "Voice of America and Radio Free Europe played an important role in winning the war of ideas against Communism during the Cold War. But more recently the U.S. international-broadcasting system has suffered mission drift: Its programs have at times run counter to U.S. foreign-policy objectives, and its massive bureaucracy is inefficient. Meanwhile, Washington's adversaries have created slick broadcast organs, such as the Kremlin's Russia Today and Beijing's CCTV, to advance their strategic interests and disseminate their illiberal worldviews. So it's welcome news that the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed a bipartisan package of reforms designed to address long-standing governance problems in the system. The legislation would create a new U.S. International Communications Agency, with a full-time CEO, to administer Voice of America and the various 'Freedom' broadcasters, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the Middle East Broadcasting Network. ... Voice of America needn't become a crude propagandistic outlet.'You need to have an open mind but not so much that your brains fall out,' as Jeff Gedmin, a former president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, told us. 'If you need to run an interview with a regime figure, do it—but frame it, rebut it. Make it clear that we're not moral relativists, that we're not sympathizers of the regime.' By ensuring that Voice of America reflects American interests, and improving the system's governance, the House reform package will help retool U.S. broadcasters for the new war of ideas." See also

Voice of America Needs a Strategy - Michael Rubin, Commentary: "It’s clear that VOA should not be simply an ordinary news service. The private sector handles that better, and CNN, CNBC, and even Fox are increasingly available abroad. Even in autocratic countries like Iran, Syria, and Saudi Arabia, residents can access a plethora of satellite stations, even when such access isn’t really legal.


So, here’s a modest proposal: The Broadcasting Board of Governors should identify in each country hostile to the United States or behind an iron curtain what journalists in that country aren’t allowed to pursue. ... Given limited resources, VOA broadcasting to that country should focus on those banned subjects. That would guarantee relevance, an audience, and invariably bolster American interests as well."Image from

Voice of America English headlines paint an image of unpopular and collapsing Ukraine government - BBG Watcher, bbgwatch.com: "In contrast to other Western broadcasters and its own Ukrainian and Russian services, Voice of America English News headlines and news reports, which



appear more like commentaries than news reports, try to paint an image of the Ukrainian government in Kyiv as desperate, unpopular and near collapse. In this respect, VOA English News has become more like Al Jazeera and Russia’s RT."Image from entry

Obama dropped by a White House meeting on Ukraine with Ashton –- Voice of America failed to report - BBG Watcher, BBG Watch: "United States National Security Advisor Susan Rice held talks Tuesday at the White House on Iran and Ukraine with Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, but U.S. taxpayer-funded Voice of America (VOA) failed to report on this meeting. VOA News also failed to report that President Obama dropped by the meeting with Lady Ashton at the White House. VOA News did report in two sentences on an earlier meeting in Washington between Catherine Ashton and Secretary of State John Kerry."

How Putin Is Reinventing Warfare: Though some deride Russia for backward thinking, Putin's strategy in Ukraine betrays a nuanced understanding of 21st century geopolitics - Peter Pomerantsev, foreignpolicy.com: "The Kremlin's approach might be called 'non-linear war,' a term used in a short story written by one of Putin's closest political advisors, Vladislav Surkov . ... Surkov writes: ... [']In the primitive wars of the 19th and 20th centuries it was common for just two sides to fight. Two countries, two blocks of allies. Now four coalitions collided. Not two against two, or three against one. All against all.' [T]he Kremlin's 'non-linear' sensibility is evident as it manipulates Western media and policy discourse. If in the 20th century the Kremlin could only lobby through Soviet sympathizers on the left, it now uses a contradictory kaleidoscope of messages to build alliances with quite different groups. ...[C]apacity building is needed for both Ukraine and the West to deal with Kremlin disinformation and to formally track the role of Kremlin-connected influencers. So far, this work is happening ad-hoc as intrepid journalists reveal Kremlin lobbyists and triple-check leaks.


To be effective, this work needs to be institutionalized, whether in think tanks or via public broadcasters such as Radio Free Europe, so every sound bite from a Kremlin-funded 'expert' is properly contextualized, every Kremlin meme deconstructed, and every British peer on Russian state company boards held accountable for their connections. And this needs to happen in both Western countries and Russia's 'near abroad,' where the Kremlin projects its non-linear influence through a variety of institutions, from the Orthodox Church, to entertainment television and business groups. Georgia, Moldova, and Latvia are particularly vulnerable, and their security services need to be prepared for the sort of indirect intervention we are seeing in eastern Ukraine. ... Perhaps, despite what Obama says, there is a battle of ideas going on. Not between communism and capitalism, or even conservatives and progressives, but between competing visions of globalization, between the 'global village' -- which feels at once nice, naff, and unreal -- and 'non-linear war.'"Uncaptioned image from entry

Russia to Sue Ukraine for Odessa Massacre - escambray.cu: "Public Council for International Cooperation and Public Diplomacy Sergei Ordzhonikidze reaffirms that Kiev’s actions


violate the April 17 Geneva agreements, adopted by Russia, United States, the European Union and Ukraine itself."Uncaptioned image from entry

Russian interests not limited to Ukraine alone - english.pravda.ru: "The interests of the Russian Federation are not limited to Ukraine. The Mexicans have a saying: 'Mexico is so far from God and so close to the United States.' This saying is a very good description for the attitude of many countries in the region to their northern neighbor. They constantly feel pressure from the States, including in the military sphere. Russia has global interests, and it will be implementing them, including in the Latin American region," Sergei Ordzhonikidze, the chairman of the Russian Public Council for International Cooperation and Public Diplomacy told Pravda.Ru."

China: Engagement vs. Estrangement - Elton C Parker, III, warontherocks: "Ultimately, we must be able to account for not only the intention of the words, images, and deeds, but perhaps even more importantly, how they will be perceived, interpreted, and then translated by our multiple audiences. Thus, we need to find the fundamental and harmonic frequencies — those that resonate best and most deeply — and then zero in on transmitting them in an unrelenting fashion.  ... This skillset is certainly not lost on our Chinese brethren, as described in an article in the Washington Free Beacon last month, which cited a study on the PLA’s embrace of a concept called ‘Three Warfares’, produced for the Office of Net Assessment. This report highlights the emphasis being placed on ‘psychological, media, and legal attacks’ by China as part of an effort to ‘diminish or rupture U.S. ties with the South China Sea littoral states and deter governments from providing forward basing facilities or other support.’ According to the report, the Pentagon defines psychological warfare as ‘efforts to influence or disrupt an enemy’s decisions-making capabilities, to create doubts, foment anti-leadership sentiments, and device opponents’. As such, this darker side of strategic communication — information operations — would include actions such as increasing diplomatic pressure, false narratives, harassment, and other forms of media or public opinion warfare. So how does one go about countering the so-called Three Warfares? The report advocates, logically enough, three distinct approaches: forceful legal action (‘lawfare’), freedom of navigation exercises (presence), and bolstering public diplomacy (strategic messaging). Putting aside the legal lane for the lawyers leaves physical engagement and communication. ... Ultimately, the bottom line is this: I see more good from pursuing a strategy of engagement than one of estrangement. I think we do our interests and ourselves a disservice by only painting the rise of China as solely adversarial."

Chinese leaders' wives step into limelight with foreign tours - zeenews.india.com: "'Wife diplomacy' has become the focus of China's new leadership as Cheng Hong, the well educated wife of Premier Li Keqiang who has kept a low profile so far, stepped into the limelight by accompanying him on a high-profile Africa tour. Her debut in public diplomacy was kept under wraps until she emerged with her husband out of the plane yesterday to greet the leaders and people at the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. She is the second high-profile spouse to get initiated into 'wife diplomacy' by the new set of leaders departing from the past practice of keeping the families of the leaders out of the limelight. The first to start the practice was President Xi Jinping, who took his famous wife Peng Liyuan, a well accomplished folk-singer and a household name in China for her television opera success, to his first foreign tour after taking over as President last year. Since then Peng became part of China's public diplomacy as she recently hosted Michelle Obama and her family for a week-long tour of China to promote good US-China ties."

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on May 6, 2014 -
fmprc.gov.cn: "Hua Chunying started the press conference with the following announcements: ... As we have announced on April 29, the 4th Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Summit


will be held in Shanghai, China from May 20 to 21. For your better understanding of the theme and goal of the Summit, the Office of Public Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the China Public Diplomacy Association will host a Lanting Forum at 2 p.m. on May 8 (Thursday)."Uncaptioned image from entry

Lithuanian ambassador talks economic, political policies - Emma Palasz, badgerherald.com: "Highlighting the importance of raising awareness and fighting for freedom, the Lithuanian ambassador to the United States spoke at the Pyle Center Friday on Lithuanian economic and political policies. Žygimantas Pavilionis became ambassador of Lithuania to the United States in August 2010 and played a key role in helping the country become part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union.


Pavilionis showcased Lithuania’s success as a nation, speaking on its promising numbers regarding economics and education. ... Pavilionis ... said neither the U.S. nor Lithuania could ignore what is going on in other countries if they do not want violent leaders to spread anti-democratic leadership. ... 'Stay inside the country and think nothing, and your freedom will disappear,' he said. 'We have to revamp public diplomacy. We have to fight for our freedom with ideas that were born [in the US] years ago.'” Uncaptioned image from entry

NATO's Biggest Mistake: The Alliance Drifted From Its Core Mission -- And The World Is Paying The Price - sassinstitute.blogspot.com: "Russia’s campaigns in Crimea and eastern Ukraine have not involved columns of tanks streaming across borders. Instead, Moscow has skillfully used staged provocations, local supporters, unmarked special forces, cyber-attacks, and massive disinformation campaigns to create instabilities that can be used as pretexts for annexation.


To date, the U.S. and European responses have been very modest and almost entirely traditional in character -- verbal assurances; some small, additional troop rotations in eastern Europe; and some small, additional military exercises. NATO needs to think hard and fast about countering Russia’s new form of warfare, especially for NATO members that have Russian minorities. This will entail substantially enhanced internal security, homeland security, training, intelligence, early warning, cybersecurity, and public diplomacy capacities. These will be the keys to deterrence and defense against destabilization operations."Uncaptioned image from entry

Broadcasting soft power: Australian telly inks new deal in China - Benjamin Day and Susan Harris Rimmer, eastasiaforum.org: "Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s recent trip to East Asia was all about drumming up business for ‘Team Australia’. An unprecedented 630-strong trade mission, including three ministers and five premiers, fanned out through China to show Australia was ‘open for business’. Given this focus on dealmaking, it’s surprising how little fanfare greeted the Australia Network’s announcement that they had secured an agreement with the Shanghai Media Group — a deal which gives them ‘the most extensive access to Chinese audiences by any Western broadcaster’.  .    The agreement was due to be signed in early May but has now been pushed back to June, without clear reasons given.


The deal will allow ABC International — which runs the Australia Network — to ‘establish an online portal in China through which a range of ABC [Australian Broadcasting Corporation] and other Australian media content and services will be available to partner Chinese media organisations’. But this announcement comes as a cloud hangs over the purpose, funding and future of the Australia Network. ... Australia needs to be conscious of crafting the content for this audience to be sure it promotes Australia’s national interest. Of course there is intrinsic value in Australia’s leading cultural products having a global audience. That said, the Australia Network is funded with public money through DFAT and needs to take into account deeper foreign policy objectives. Public broadcasting is widely considered a cost-effective investment for promoting public diplomacy objectives. ...  The important thing is to have a strategy and for Australia to know what it wants out of this investment. It should use the investment to address any cultural misunderstandings, and to strengthen the appeal of getting to know Australia’s different ways of looking at the world. Because it is not guided by a broader strategy, this deal could be a banana peel. Australia risks slipping on ad hoc initiatives until its soft power objectives are clear."Uncaptioned image from entry

1980s-style campaign mooted to protect ABC from funding cuts - Henry Belot, Canberra Times: "Government funding for the ABC exceeded $1 billion for the first time when Wayne Swan delivered his final budget in 2013-14. And while the national Commission of Audit refrained from recommending direct cuts to ABC funding, it did call for the defunding of the Australia Network. ANU Asia Pacific College of Diplomacy director Dr Susan Harris-Rimmer said while the network could be better managed, it would be 'incredibly sad to lose an investment in public diplomacy without exploring its true potential'. 'To me, the huge value of the Australia Network is the potential for public diplomacy,' she said. 'Most of the top 20 powers invest in public broadcasting to project their soft power - with the BBC being the prime example.'"

Commission of Audit: 5 questionable recommendations (and 3 good ones) - lowyinterpreter.org: "My previous post analysed the Commission of Audit's recommendations on defence, foreign affairs and aid. Below, some of the less prominent recommendations made by the Commission in the realm of international policy, which range from sensible to questionable. ... Here are some questionable ones: ... Scrap the Australia Network, because it is, so the Commission says, 'an expensive option for meeting diplomatic objectives given its limited outreach to a small audience'. But expensive compared with what? No comparative data from the Commission, no analysis of efficiency. At $23 million per year, reaching 36 million homes and 46 countries, this is one of the few public diplomacy functions DFAT still funds, reaching out to publics in our region to inform them of our nation, values, culture and economy. Historically, international broadcasting is one of the most cost-effective ways of reaching audiences in their millions on a regular basis. With two recent distribution deals announced by ABC International, the recommendation to abandon it after nearly a decade of consistent investment seems premature and short sighted, and not about funding or efficiency. In any event, it is a matter more appropriate for party policy than a Commission of Audit."

The UK’s “Soft Power” – in a Word… - John Worne, uscpublicdiplomacy.org: "[T]he strength of UK culture resides in the fact its diverse, plural, and a bit messy. Messy in a gloriously creative, free-spirited and independently-minded way. ... What is GREAT about the UK?


Well when we asked them recently, here’s what British Council staff of different nationalities from all around the world said all of the words listed in the picture above. What it shows is it’s the right Royal mix of things that people think of when they think of the UK: history, creativity, countryside, universities, institutions, arts, cars, stars, fish and chips and Victoria sponge cakes."Image from entry

Fiddler on the Nakba - Philip Weiss mondoweiss.net: "Kay24 says: May 2, 2014 at 6:29 am They must be running short of recruits and desperate, they sound like they are in middle school at this point, although Haaretz reported: 'The Prime Minister’s Office is planning to form, in collaboration with the National Union of Israeli Students, 'covert units' within Israel’s seven universities that will engage in online public diplomacy (hasbara).


The students participating in the project, who would post on social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter on Israel’s behalf, will be part of the public diplomacy arm of the PMO, but would not identify themselves as official government representatives. About a week ago, the outgoing deputy-director general of the Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Ministry, Daniel Seaman, sent a document to the government tender committee seeking to exempt the national student union from being chosen as the partner in the project through a public bidding process. The PMO is looking to invest close to NIS 3 million to recruit, organize and fund the activities of hundreds of university students, as part of the country’s public diplomacy effort.' I think that is money (US tax dollars?) wasted. They cannot make a even a dent here!"Image from

New media and the changing narrative on Palestine - Victoria Brittain, opendemocracy.net: “[T]o reach the outside world, for more than a decade the Israeli government has systematically organised students and others in semi-military mode to flood the Internet with hasbara material, as anyone who has ever written anything critical of Israel’s government knows.  Union of Israeli Students ‘covert units’ within Israel’s seven universities have engaged in online public diplomacy and been part of the Prime Minister’s public diplomacy arsenal.” Image from

Israeli Independence Shabbat Dinner Celebration - picoshul.org: "In honor of Israel Independence Week, Pico Shul is throwing an Israeli-style Friday Night Dinner. Lots of food, fun, great people, inspiring discussion and our special guest speaker, Dana Ehrlich, the Consul of Public Diplomacy."

A Palestinian Resistance View: 66 Years of Israeli Brutal Occupation and Delusional Peace Talks - Stuart Littlewood, Al-Jazeerah: "Emmanuel Tierra, a former national security adviser to PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat and a former acting PLO chairman ... tells me he is currently a senior policy adviser and military analyst with the Provisional Interim Council of Government (PINCG), which is an unincorporated agency of individuals from all 17 Palestinian resistance groups, excluding the Palestinian Authority and Al-Qaeda-type organizations. ... [Tierra:] 'I am 100 per cent in agreement that Palestinian resistance agencies should incorporate public diplomacy. However, please understand that the Israelis since the 1960s have targeted for killing all Palestinian leadership that voice opinions that would unify Palestinians or expose the reality of Israel’s war criminal enterprise.'”

Brazil’s hopes on knife’s edge - Andrés Federman, buenosairesherald.com: "Brazil is hosting the FIFA World Cup next month and the Olympic Games in 2016. In theory, both events are the ideal showcase to project a country’s image. ... You cannot envisage a better way of engaging massive audiences, the target of any public diplomacy effort. True, the interest of much of this audience is limited to football, regardless of the venue. But football is amazingly democratic and attracts massive amounts of business and political decision makers. That’s the good news. The not-so-good news is that a significant number of Brazilians are in a state of protest. Their main grievance is that too much money is being spent on a wrong priority like the World Cup. They demand instead, better health, education and transport services as well as less inflation and corruption. ... [G]roups seem determined to stage more protests next month during the tournament. And there is no guarantee that the demonstrations will be non-violent. ... The people in charge of Brazil’s public diplomacy sitting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have good reason to feel unhappy."

Book Launch Daya Thussu Communicating India’s Soft Power: Buddha to Bollywood - hutnyk.wordpress.com: "Communicating India’s Soft Power: Buddha to Bollywood [by] Professor Daya Thussu ... As the world’s largest democracy with a vibrant and pluralist media system, India offers an excellent case study of the power of culture and communication in the age of mediated international relations. This pioneering attempt – the first book-length study of India’s Soft Power – from an international communication/media perspective, fills the existing gap in scholarship as well as policy literature in this area.


The book, published by Palgrave/Macmillan in New York in their prestigious Global Public Diplomacy series, has been described by Professor Ashis Nandy as an ‘excellent, comprehensive yet brief survey of the scope and limits of India’s Soft Power and the country’s changing status in global public culture and media’."Image from entry

Europe: Risk and Management Courses - journalriskcrisis.com: Among the institutions cited: Ilmenau Centre for Public Diplomacy Research and Training http://www.tu-ilmenau.de/public-diplomacy/

Farnsworth Gives Lecture - eagleeye.umw.edu: Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and director of the University’s [UMW]Center for Leadership and Media Studies, delivered a lecture entitled, 'The Global President: Public Diplomacy During the Obama and Bush Presidencies,' to the DACOR (Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Retired) Organization at the DACOR Bacon House in Washington, D.C. on May 6. The group consists of former U.S. ambassadors, foreign service officers, and military attaches as well as former USAID and CIA officers. The talk drew on Farnsworth’s co-authored book, 'The Global President: International Media and the U.S. Government,' which was published by Rowman and Littlefield last fall."

Manchester Community College Inaugural Asian Pacific American Heritage Month- April 30, 2014 - ctapaac.com: Three leadership awards will be presented at the opening ceremony for the first Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration at Manchester Community College, Wednesday, April 30 . ... Dr. Saud Anwar, mayor of South Windsor, will receive the Community Leadership Award. Dr. Anwar, who will also deliver the keynote address at the ceremony, is the first Muslim and South Asian to be elected mayor in New England. ... In addition, he has worked with the British department of communities and local government on community integration and been a part of peace missions to Israel and the Middle East, as well as public diplomacy missions to Pakistan."

Divided Love: A Nanny’s Story - Bryony Inge, bendingborders.org: "As adventurer and cultural explorer, Bryony has always been fascinated by the people and customs from faraway lands. She grew up in the UK and has lived in Ecuador, France and Beijing. Bryony is currently studying radio and Public Diplomacy at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, where she’s been discovering the power of radio to connect people and places through sound."

RELATED ITEMS

Why Russia’s Propaganda Machine Is Loving a NYT Report - Kirit Radia, ABC News: The New York Times is – improbably – the latest darling of the Russian propaganda machine. The paper this weekend published one of the most detailed articles to date on a group of separatists in eastern Ukraine. The report found no evidence of Russians within the unit’s ranks or Russian influence or arms, although it was careful to note that its findings are far from definitive. Russian media, however, quickly seized on the report, eager to cash in on the Times’ credibility to back Moscow’s claims that it has nothing to do with the unrest there.

Putin’s Propaganda: Up is down and down is up: His old-school info warfare is working - John Fund, National Review: Vladimir Putin is a master propagandist. Fresh from using his state TV to mount glittering coverage of the Sochi Olympics in February, he has turned his Kremlin stooges to the task of delegitimizing Ukraine’s government as “fascist” and portraying it as a clear danger to any Russian speakers under its control. If the West, especially the U.S., doesn’t step up its game in responding, it will soon wonder either how Ukraine was lost to Russia or how it was rendered ungovernable. The West has been shamefully slow to react to Putin’s Orwellian tactics.

Putin Hires Pro-Russia Trolls to Spread Propaganda - thetrumpet.com: Unlike the ogres of childhood fairy tales, trolls


are people who stir up contention on the Internet by posting abusive, inflammatory and other such comments on articles, blogs, chat rooms and forums. It has come to light that Putin has begun employing such people to spread Russian propaganda. Image from

Russia Quietly Tightens Reins on Web With ‘Bloggers Law’ - Neil MacFarquhar, New York Times: Russia has taken another major step toward restricting its once freewheeling Internet, as President Vladimir V. Putin quietly signed a new law requiring popular online voices to register with the government, a measure that lawyers, Internet pioneers and political activists said Tuesday would give the government a much wider ability to track who said what online. Mr. Putin’s action on Monday, just weeks after he disparaged the Internet as “a special C.I.A. project,” borrowed a page from the restrictive Internet playbooks of many governments around the world that have been steadily smothering online freedoms they once tolerated. Widely known as the “bloggers law,” the new Russian measure specifies that any site with more than 3,000 visitors daily will be considered a media outlet akin to a newspaper and be responsible for the accuracy of the information published.

Meet the Censors, Propagandists and Outright Liars Who Won Putin’s Pulitzers - James Kirchick, thedailybeast.com: In America, we’re used to reporters challenging the government. But that’s not what the Russian journalists awarded by Putin—apparently all of whom are either on the state payroll


or work for media mogul oligarchs with close ties to the Kremlin—have been doing. Over there, “journalists,” such as they are, literally survive by parroting the government. Image from

Why Germans Love Russia - Clemens Wergin, New York Times: Some of this pro-Moscow sentiment is the work of Russia-sponsored propaganda: A recent investigative report by the newspaper Welt am Sonntag revealed how a shady network of Russia supporters has shaped public discourse in Germany. Even dialogue forums with Russia, co-sponsored by the German government, are full of friends of Mr. Putin, even on the German side.

Little Genius, Vietnamese Style - Roger Cohen, New York Times: This then is the way the world works: Autocratic hypercapitalism without American checks and balances produces new Asian elites, often party-connected, whose dream is an American lifestyle and education for their children; and whose other goal, knowing how their own capricious system really functions, is to buy into the rule of law and property guarantees by acquiring real estate in North America or perhaps Britain, so driving up prices in prime urban markets to the point where the middle classes of those countries, whose incomes are often stagnant or falling, are pushed aside. This symbiotic system at the level of individuals is mirrored at the national level, where the invisible bargain is that American debt is bought by Asian governments, notably the Chinese, and Asians make money through access to credit-fueled U.S. markets and consumers.

With Conspiracy-Minded Intrigue, Life Imitates Fiction in Turkey - Tim Arango, New York Times: When the hit American cable television series “Homeland” finished its third season with Carrie, the bipolar C.I.A. agent played by Claire Danes, appointed to her dream job of station chief in Istanbul, the plotline was interpreted by some in the Turkish press as evidence of American designs to undermine Turkey.

IMAGE


--Via a Russian Facebook friend

ONE MORE QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"Both are characterized by a kind of moralism, but one is the morality of decent instincts tempered by the knowledge of human imperfection and the other is the morality of absolute self-assurance fired by the crusading spirit."

--Senator William Fulbright, on the mercurial nature of the U.S. approach to diplomacy; cited in Kevin Peraino, Lincoln in the World: The Making of a Statesman and the Dawn of American Power (2013), p. 299

QUESTION: Why did the chicken cross the road?
ANSWERS
Ambassador’s Staff Assistant to Management Counselor: Please draft a reply for the AMB’s signature as to why the chicken crossed the road. Please send in your response NLT COB today.

Buildings & Maintenance Officer: We don’t have any space for the chicken in the New Embassy Compound (NEC) if it crosses the road. The chicken either needs to go back or move to the USAID compound.

Management Counselor: Let’s get an expert from Washington to come and help us determine why the chicken crossed the road and/or to help the chicken cross the road.

Assistant RSO: Did the chicken request country clearance to cross the road? We can’t just let every Tom, Dick, and Henrietta cross the road. They must be able to provide proof regarding the mission essential nature of their crossings as well as prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they are entitled to 6×6 inches of space at the NEC. Chickens without country clearance will be summarily returned to the other side of the road and left to fend for themselves.

Regional Psychiatrist: We should all try to understand why the chicken felt it had to cross the road

via funnyjunk
via funnyjunk

Health Unit: The chicken should definitely NOT cross the road until we have determined what our response will be in the case that the chicken is carrying Avian flu.

Protocol: Before the chicken approaches the road, it must be determined if the chicken will be referred to as His Excellency, Minister Counselor or Madam President. The chicken must receive an invitation to cross. Said chicken must RSVP and bring invitation and photo id to cross the road. Once invitation is accepted, the seating plan will be organized and chicken may be Guest of Honor.

HR: We don’t care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to ensure that the chicken has spent 365 days on this side of the road and no more than 63 days in other locations due to R&R and/or RRBs. Also, there must be a new chicken to take their place and there must be a one-week overlap before the old chicken can cross the road because we don’t take gaps on this side of the road.

FMO: That darn chicken still hasn’t filed a travel voucher since the last time it crossed the road and cannot cross the road again until all his vouchers have been approved.

Public Affairs (Day 1): EMBASSY PRESS RELEASE – Today a substantial milestone was achieved when the chicken took the next step in the evolution of independent, democratic government when it crossed the road — cautiously looking in both directions first — without the involvement of the Embassy or U.S. military. Though there are bound to be bumps on this long road to peace and prosperity, we are encouraged by this positive sign.
Public Affairs (Day 2): EMBASSY PRESS RELEASE – We remain encouraged by the step taken by the chicken to cross the road. Though no USG advisor took part in the actual crossing, we acknowledge that there were some USG advisors present at the time. This remains a great day for the chicken and a substantial step towards fully independent democratic institutions of government.

Consular Section: Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (as currently amended) requires us to have less concern for why the chicken crosses the road than for what will compel the chicken to return to this side of the road after a temporary stay on the other side. This section of the law is specific and demanding and all applicants to cross the road are presumed to be going to the other side to stay permanently unless they can demonstrate to the adjudicating officer that they have ties to this side of the road that are so strong that the applicant will be compelled to return to this side after a temporary stay on the other side. While the ownership of a nest or coop on this side of the road or even leaving chicks or unhatched eggs on this side of the road may contribute to the chicken’s overcoming the assumptions inherent in Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (as currently amended), in and of themselves they do not constitute “compelling ties.” While ineligibility under Section 214(b) is not permanent and the chicken may re-apply to cross the road at any time, it is doubtful that the Consular officer’s decision will be different in the absence of a substantial change in the chicken’s current circumstances. It will probably be in the chicken’s best interests to wait at least one year before re-applying to cross the road. I regret that I am unable to give the chicken a more positive reply at this time.

USAID Director: Of course, we rebuilt the road so that the chicken could cross said road. But we shouldn’t be expecting that chicken to cross the road on their own – it’s too much work. So we’ve arranged for two subject matter expert chickens to come in and help the first chicken out.

CLO: Can you call the Housing Office?  We forgot to arrange meet and greet for the chicken when it arrived here after crossing the road.  But we do have a happy hour planned for Friday afternoon to welcome the chicken to the embassy.

Seabees: Upon inspection, we found that the road had been built according to standards, except the road crossing safety equipment. The safety equipment was paid for by the USG but not installed, nearly leading to the death of the chicken.

Refugee Officer:  This displaced chicken may be intending to seek asylum or refugee status in order to escape the persecution of the genocidal meat eaters and war criminals who are annihilating the chicken population through widespread and systematic attacks using inhumane instruments of torture such as butcher knives and skewers. Furthermore, they are subjecting the chicken population to the mental anguish of knowing their loved ones are being served weekly on the Kebab Grill.

MSG POST 1: Cluck and Cover, Cluck and Cover: Chickens are crossing the road.

Second Big Voice from PA System: Attention in the Embassy, Attention in the Embassy: The explosion you just heard was an IED hitting a chicken crossing the road. Do Not React. I repeat, Do Not React.

Supervisory RSO: A military age chicken (MAC) was crossing the road as the Ambassador’s motorcade was passing by with lights and sirens blaring. The Ambassador’s bodyguard in the follow car fired several BBs that landed in the front of the MAC. The MAC continued its aggressive approach and the bodyguard then fired two well-aimed M4 rounds at approximately 25 meters. The MAC came to a complete stop. The motorcade continued to its destination without further incident after the remains of the MAC were recovered by personnel from the Road Kill Café.

RMO: There will be a Town hall meeting in Road Kill Café to mourn the loss of one of our finely feathered friends. The DCM will be available to answer your questions and the RSO will give a presentation on road safety procedures and practices.

Political Section: The fact that the chicken crossed the road shows that decision-making authority has switched to the chicken in accordance with the transition of power. From now on, the chicken is responsible for its own decisions.

USAID Contractor: We were asked to help the chicken cross the road. Given the inherent risk of road crossing, and the rarity of chickens, this operation will only cost $326,004.

Officer from an unnamed, non-State Department Agency: We cannot confirm or deny any involvement in the chicken-road-crossing incident.

Employee Association: Obviously he was crossing the road because the new Employee Association-run bar is on the other side of the street.

Translators: Chicken he cross street because bad she tangle regulation. Future chicken table against my request.

OBO: (no response)

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Not a way to win friends in Russia given the current international mood ..

May 7, 2014, 3:28 pm
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Новые фотографии похищенных нацистами культурных ценностей поступят в архивы США

Кадр из фильма «Охотники за сокровищами»
Кадр из фильма «Охотники за сокровищами»
Фонд «Защитники памятников» (Monuments Men Foundation) намерен передать в Национальный архив США один из недавно обнаруженных альбомов с фотографиями произведений искусства, похищенных специальным подразделением гитлеровской армии в оккупированной Европе. Альбом будет передан архиву 8 мая, сообщает газета The Washington Post. В странах антигитлеровской коалиции, кроме России, эта дата считается днем окончания Второй мировой войны.
Старший архивист Национального архива США Грег Брэдшер (Greg Bradsher) рассказывает, что подобные альбомы предназначались в первую очередь для отчета перед Гитлером о проделанной работе по изъятию культурных ценностей на новых территориях Третьего рейха. Число альбомов с фотографиями конфискованных произведений искусства могло достигать сотен.
39 таких альбомов в конце войны обнаружили эксперты, объединенные в подразделение по защите памятников, произведений искусства и архивов. Эта группа была известна как «Защитники памятников» (Monuments Men). Найденные альбомы были приобщены как вещественные доказательства при расследовании военных преступлений нацистов в Европе и в 1947 году переданы Национальному архиву США.
Фонд «Защитники памятников» (Monuments Men Foundation) занимается сохранением памяти о подразделении экспертов времен войны и продолжает деятельность по поиску культурных ценностей, конфискованных нацистами. После выхода книги и фильма Джорджа Клуни, посвященных героям-искусствоведам (в России фильм демонстрировался под названием «Охотники за сокровищами»), в распоряжение фонда попало еще четыре альбома фотодокументов. Один из них «Защитники» и передадут 8 мая в архив.
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Wisconsin GOP Aims For Secession And Nullification Powers: Notes for a lecture, "E pluribus Unum? What Keeps the United States United"

May 2, 2014, 11:31 pm
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Wisconsin GOP Aims For Secession And Nullification Powers
The Huffington Post | by Amanda Terkel

The Wisconsin Republican Party will be voting this weekend on whether it endorses the right to secede from the rest of the country and nullify any federal law, a clear departure from the legacy of Abraham Lincoln.
Daniel Bice at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that delegates at the state Republican convention will consider a measure on Saturday "that directs lawmakers to push through legislation nullifying Obamacare, Common Core educational standards and 'drone usage in the state of Wisconsin.'"
It also asserts the right, "under extreme circumstances," to secede from the United States of America.
Secession and nullification are not new ideas. In fact, they're what Lincoln was fighting against as he tried to preserve the union. In the 1830s, South Carolina created a national crisis when it tried to nullify a federal tariff with which it disagreed and threatened to secede. The doctrine of nullification was no good after the Civil War, but some Southern states advocated a similar philosophy after the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed racial segregation in public schools.
The Wisconsin resolution is opposed by many Republicans in the state, including Gov. Scott Walker (R). Walker is often mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2016, and it would be tough to run for president if your state isn't even part of the country.
Conservative Wisconsin radio host Charlie Sykes has called the resolution "crackpotism on steroids."
"We fought a war over this, didn't we?" Sykes added. "It didn't work out well for the supporters of nullification and secession."
Bice also points out that it would be impossible for state legislators to accomplish some of what is proposed in the measure.
The Common Core education standards, for instance, aren't federal law; Wisconsin voluntarily went along with them.
But for some, the Civil War did nothing to settle these issues. Mike Murphy, a member of the Wisconsin GOP's executive committee, argued that "secession is as American as apple pie."
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Promoting Propaganda

May 11, 2014, 3:09 am
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From The Moscow Times; via MP on Facebook









Moscow
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Promoting Propaganda

Bigarthouse.ru
Пропаганда: propaganda

День Победы (Victory Day) used to be my favorite Russian holiday. I would always tear up when I saw the veterans, some still slender in their old uniforms, covered from neck to waist in medals and ribbons, marching proudly across Red Square. In the parks, I liked watching shy little kids get a last bit of parental advice before dashing to present a veteran with a handful of flowers.
And for a few years, when we were all friends, I liked watching the other Allied veterans march along with their former Soviet comrades-in-arms.
This year, with another war raging, the fighter jets buzzing my apartment house in rehearsals for the air show seem creepy, not cool. And the drumbeat of пропаганда (propaganda) is like nothing I have ever seen or heard before.
And so I find myself thinking constantly about a word I thought I could put on the dusty top shelf of my mind and forget. Пропаганда came to Russian from the Latin propaganda, defined as подлежащее распространению (that which is to be disseminated). The word appeared in the 17th-century Catholic Church, which founded a group to propagate the faith to the unenlightened and unfaithful.
And that is pretty much what пропаганда still does — only the faith changes over time and place.
Most of the time, the word has a negative connotation in Russian. In fact, in a dictionary of political terminology, the word is defined in part like this: "Пропагандой"назывались попытки тоталитарных режимов полностью подчинить науку и вообще всякое знание интересам государственной политики ("Propaganda" was the term used to describe attempts by totalitarian regimes to completely subordinate science and any other knowledge to the interests of state policy).
So you find usage like this: Благодаря топорной пропаганде люди точно знали, что правду они могут услышать только по "радио-голосам" (Thanks to the ham-fisted propaganda, people were certain that they could only get the truth from the "radio voices" [of America, etc.]).
But not all the ways and means of пропаганда and пропагандировать (to propagandize) are bad: Врач должен пропагандировать здоровый образ жизни, конечно, и на своём примере тоже. (A doctor should promote a healthy lifestyle, of course — and by example, too).
Пропаганда and пропагандировать can also be used for the promotion of commercial endeavors or products: Он делал всё, чтобы пропагандировать "Виртуозов Москвы" (He did everything he could to promote the Moscow Virtuosi).
Now this is usually промоушн (promotion), done by the noun промоутер (promoter) through the verb промоутировать (to promote).
Question: Как промоутировать умную книгу? (How do you promote an intellectual book?) Answer: By using a native Russian verb like продвигать (to advance, promote).
Я предлагаю продвигать вашу книгу в соцсетях (I will promote your book in social media). This kind of продвижение (promotion) seems to be more covert than, say, рекламировать (to advertise) or проводить рекламную кампанию (carry out an ad campaign).
And all of it comes under the big umbrella of маркетинг (marketing), which can be коммерческий (commercial), социальный (social) or political: Политический маркетинг в России — это программирование поведения электората (Political marketing in Russia is programming the electorate's behavior).
And we know how you do that: пропаганда. Here we go again.
Michele A. Berdy, a Moscow-based translator and interpreter, is author of "The Russian Word's Worth" (Glas), a collection of her columns.
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The VOA and the Holocaust

May 12, 2014, 3:31 pm
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JB - The value of this brief review is to bring attention to an important article, agree with it or not.


Home | Back to Reviews

"The Voice of America, U.S. Propaganda and the Holocaust: 'I would have remembered'" by Holly Cowan Shulman (appearing in the Historical Journal of Film, Radio & Television, Vol. 17, No. 1, 1997)

Reviewed by Jerry Berg, jberg@ontheshortwaves.com
The author of the reviewed article is the co-director of the College Park Scholars Program in Science, Technology and Society at the University of Maryland, and the author of the book, "The Voice of America: Propaganda and Democracy, 1941-1945 (Univ. of Wisconsin Press, 1990). (Ontheshortwaves will review Professor Shulman's book at another time.)

The article begins with the interesting observation that her father, Louis G. Cowan, worked for the Office of War Information in 1942 "and directed both the Voice of America and the overseas branch of the OWI by 1944." Her personal interest in the subject adds a very nice touch to this element of the continuing exploration, this time in the context of the VOA, of America's actions with regard to the Jews of Europe during World War II. After spending two years searching through VOA archival boxes, Shulman poses the question: what did the VOA do with regard to the treatment of Holocaust news, and concludes, not very much.

There is little direct proof of anti-Semitism in the State Department. Indeed, there appears to have been a good deal of sympathy for the plight of the Jews there, notwithstanding an overall anti-alien, conservative bent. OWI and VOA were even more attuned to this issue, Robert E. Sherwood, first director of the Foreign Information Service and then the overseas branch of the OWI, being a well-known liberal with a fierce moral commitment, and with a liberal presence in various places of leadership.

While VOA's output expreseed [sic - JB] a knowledge of the Holocaust, it offered no particular response. Shulman attributes this to an overall VOA upbeat, almost euphoric view of what the future held in store, emphasizing hope, confidence and determination to win the war. This approach grew as Allied success in the war effort became more and more assured. Within increasingly optimistic military forecasts, the ordeal of the Jews was out of place. The Allies were coming, and problems could be addressed once victory was at hand. (There was also the concern that news about the persecution of the Jews was a "trick[y] matter," anti-Jewish feeling in some quarters, like France, being not too far from the surface, and the tendency of some one worlders to disfavor the suffering of one group over another.)

The article ends with the author's description of her interview with Michel Gordey in Paris in 1985. Gordey was a well bred (and well married) Russian-turned-German-turned-Frenchman who had been a member (and later head) of the VOA French desk. Asked how the French desk dealt with the Holocaust, he said he did not know about how bad the persecution was. "I would have remembered," he said. Shulman does not doubt his sincerity, but concludes that all of the VOA leadership, even to the desk level, knew about the death camps, but simply had not absorbed it or integrated it. It was a mechanism for avoiding utter despair. "We might well ask ourselves," says Shulman, "what we would have done in such tragic circumstances."
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Lectures Aren't Just Boring, They're Ineffective, Too, Study Finds

May 13, 2014, 3:39 am
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Aleszu Bayak, Science Insider via RM on Facebook

Lectures Aren't Just Boring, They're Ineffective, Too, Study Finds

12 May 2014 3:00 pm
9 Comments

Blah? Traditional lecture classes have higher undergraduate failure rates than those using active learning techniques, new research finds.
Wikimedia
Blah? Traditional lecture classes have higher undergraduate failure rates than those using active learning techniques, new research finds.
Are your lectures droning on? Change it up every 10 minutes with more active teaching techniques and more students will succeed, researchers say. A new study finds that undergraduate students in classes with traditional stand-and-deliver lectures are 1.5 times more likely to fail than students in classes that use more stimulating, so-called active learning methods.
“Universities were founded in Western Europe in 1050 and lecturing has been the predominant form of teaching ever since,” says biologist Scott Freeman of the University of Washington, Seattle. But many scholars have challenged the “sage on a stage” approach to teaching science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses, arguing that engaging students with questions or group activities is more effective.
To weigh the evidence, Freeman and a group of colleagues analyzed 225 studies of undergraduate STEM teaching methods. The meta-analysis, published online today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, concluded that teaching approaches that turned students into active participants rather than passive listeners reduced failure rates and boosted scores on exams by almost one-half a standard deviation. “The change in the failure rates is whopping,” Freeman says. And the exam improvement—about 6%—could, for example, “bump [a student’s] grades from a B– to a B.”
“This is a really important article—the impression I get is that it’s almost unethical to be lecturing if you have this data,” says Eric Mazur, a physicist at Harvard University who has campaigned against stale lecturing techniques for 27 years and was not involved in the work. “It’s good to see such a cohesive picture emerge from their meta-analysis—an abundance of proof that lecturing is outmoded, outdated, and inefficient.” 
Although there is no single definition of active learning approaches, they include asking students to answer questions by using handheld clickers, calling on individuals or groups randomly, or having students clarify concepts to each other and reach a consensus on an issue.
Freeman says he’s started using such techniques even in large classes. “My introductory biology course has gotten up to 700 students,” he says. “For the ultimate class session—I don’t say lecture—I’m showing PowerPoint slides, but everything is a question and I use clickers and random calling. Somebody droning on for 15 minutes at a time and then doing cookbook labs isn’t interesting.” Freeman estimates that scaling up such active learning approaches could enable success for tens of thousands of students who might otherwise drop or fail STEM courses.
Despite its advantages, active learning isn’t likely to completely kill the lecture, says Noah Finkelstein, a physics professor who directs the Center for STEM Learning at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and was not involved in the study. The new study “is consistent with what the benefits of active learning are showing us,” he says. “But I don’t think there should be a monolithic stance about lecture or no lecture. There are still times when lectures will be needed, but the traditional mode of stand-and-deliver is being demonstrated as less effective at promoting student learning and preparing future teachers.”
The current study didn’t directly address the effectiveness of one new twist in the traditional lecturing format: massive open online courses that can beam talks to thousands or even millions of students. But Freeman says the U.S. Department of Education has conducted its own meta-analysis of distance learning, and it found there was no difference in being lectured at in a classroom versus through a computer screen at home. So, Freeman says: “If you’re going to get lectured at, you might as well be at home in bunny slippers.”
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Russian State TV Anchor: 'Propaganda Is Journalism'

May 13, 2014, 4:02 am
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Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe
Includes interview on video

Russian State TV Anchor: 'Propaganda Is Journalism'

Published 6 May 2014
Andrei Kondrashov is one of 300 media professionals awarded by Russian President Vladimir Putin for their "objective" coverage of events in Crimea. Speaking to RFE/RL in Moscow, Russian state television's leading news anchor defended his award and said he saw no difference between journalism and propaganda. (RFE/RL's Russian Service)
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Ukraine: How Deep Are the Divisions between East and West?

May 13, 2014, 4:08 am
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From eastbook.eu: Via SW on Fcebook

Ukraine: How Deep Are the Divisions between East and West?

05.03.2014 ✍  
Read this article in other languages: no translations
Current events escalating in Crimea clearly highlight the polarization among political leaders and activists in Ukraine. Developments reflect conflicting visions of the country’s diplomatic ties and regional identities, whether as part of the future European Union or else linked to Russia and the legacy of Commonwealth of Independent States.
How true is this popular opinion about the East-West division of Ukraine? Author: futureatlas.com, source: Flickr
How true is this popular opinion about the East-West division of Ukraine? Author: futureatlas.com, source: Flickr
But how much do the recent events reflect cultural cleavages among ordinary people living in Ukrainian society?
Cross-national survey evidence to examine Ukrainian public opinion is available from the World Values Survey. This study, which now includes more than 90 countries, is a global investigation of socio-cultural and political change. The survey started with the first wave in 1981 and the 6th wave contains surveys from around 60 countries with data gathered from 2010-2014. The World Values Survey (WVS) is a non-profit, academic survey program representing the largest exploration into human values and cultural change around the world.
In 2011, during the period when President Viktor Yanukovych was in power for the Party of Regions, the 6th wave study conducted a representative survey of 1,500 Ukrainians, almost equally divided by the language spoken at home into Russian and Ukrainian speakers. For convenience these are labelled ‘East’ and ‘West’ Ukrainians. For comparison, the World Values Survey also conducted a similar survey of public opinion in the neighboring states of Poland (#966) in 2012 and Russia (#2,500) in 2011.
The comparison allows us to see how far Eastern and Western Ukrainians share similar cultural values with each other on many issues, such as support for democracy or confidence in government, or whether they are closer to the values found in each neighboring state.

Attitudes towards democracy

First, do Ukrainians differ in their attitudes towards democracy? Are Western Ukrainians more enthusiastic for reforms strengthening political rights and civil liberties, while Eastern Ukrainians hanker for the strong state and stability of their authoritarian past?
Author: Pippa Norris, source: Eastbook.eu
One way to examine attitudes is through using a 0-10 point scale, where respondents were asked to assess the importance of living in a country which is democratic. Figure 1 illustrates the results showing that there are indeed some modest differences; Western Ukrainians rated the importance of democracy marginally higher than those living in the East. Western Ukrainians are therefore located a bit closer to political attitudes found in Poland, while Eastern Ukrainians express values which are slightly closer to Russian attitudes. But the gaps within Ukraine were extremely modest.
For another measure, people were also asked to use a similar 0-10 point scale to express their satisfaction with the performance of democracy in their own country.
Here Ukrainians in both regions proved somewhat critical of how democracy worked in practice, fairly close to the opinions of most Russians, while by contrast Poles proved more satisfied with how democracy worked.
[Figure 2 about here]
Another way that political attitudes and values can be measured concerns public reactions to statements describing several alternative forms of rule. Respondents were asked in the survey whether they thought it was good or bad to have a strong leader ‘who does not have to bother with parliaments or elections’, a way of tapping into approval of authoritarian rule without mentioning the ‘d’ word.
Author: Pippa Norris, source: Eastbook.eu
Here it appears from Figure 2 that Ukrainians overwhelmingly agree with the desire for strong leadership – and in this both Eastern and Western regions are strikingly similar to Russians.
Almost three quarters of Ukrainians and Russians approve of the idea of strong political leadership, perhaps expressing frustration with the process and outcome of elections.
Only citizens in Poland display a stronger commitment to the principles and procedures of liberal democracy by strongly rejecting this form of rule.
Nevertheless public opinion is not wholly clear and consistent; when people were asked whether they approve of having a democratic political system, it appears that public opinion favors this form of government in all the societies under comparison. This pattern is also found elsewhere around the world, where the principles of democracy are widely endorsed, even among citizens living under one party states and authoritarian regimes.
Finally, what about trust and confidence in their government and parliament? Here again there are some modest contrasts between Western and Eastern Ukrainians, following the expected direction. In 2011, those living in Eastern Ukraine expressed slightly more confidence and trust (+8% points) in the government of President Victor Yanukovych (Party of Regions) than those living in Western Ukraine. This reflects the map of votes cast in the January 17th 2010 presidential contest. On the other hand, only around one fifth of Ukrainians expressed ‘a great deal’ or ‘quite a lot of confidence’ in both their government and parliament, compared with far more Russian confidence in President Putin.
Author: Pippa Norris, source: Eastbook.eu

Conclusions

Overall what emerges are the striking cultural similarities rather than differences found in political values among the publics living in Eastern and Western Ukraine. On issues such as relatively strong endorsement of democratic values and ideals, and simultaneous lack of satisfaction with the way that democracy works,
Ukrainians in both regions display the typical characteristics of ‘critical citizens’ found in many parts of the world. Similarly the Ukrainians are not alone in the tensions observed between seeking strong leaders and yet also approving of democracy.
And the low confidence in core political institutions is also far from unique to this country.
Admittedly there are some small but important contrasts between Western and Eastern Ukrainians, notably in voting support for the Party of the Regions and in confidence in the government of President Yanukovych. Other explorations of the data suggest that indeed Eastern Ukrainians have more confidence in CIS than those living in the East.
But the political attitudes which are shared among all Ukrainians are far more evident from this comparison than the values which differ.
Not surprisingly, although language divides, there are many other aspects of Ukrainian culture and historical traditions which have been shared over the centuries. Even if the leaders and activists are sharply divided, this evidence suggest that the cultural differences within Ukraine remains fairly modest.
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This post was originally published on the Electoral Integrity Project website.
Pippa Norris is Laureate Research Fellow and Professor of Government and International Relations, University of Sydney and  McGuire Lecturer in Comparative Politics, Harvard University. Follow @PippaN15.
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Article 5

May 13, 2014, 7:28 am
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From Russia Direct

Russia's soft power shouldn't add up to propaganda

May 8, 2014Pavel Koshkin Ksenia Smertina
Konstantin Kosachev, the head of Russia’s public diplomacy agency, talks about the impact of the Ukrainian crisis on Russia's ability to project “soft power” abroad as well as Moscow’s efforts to change the world’s perceptions of Russia.
Russian officials argue that higher education can improve the country's image. Photo: Shutterstock
In this interview, Konstantin Kosachev, the head of Rossotrudnichestvo (Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation), discusses with Russia Direct the impact of the Ukrainian crisis on Russia's ability to project “soft power” abroad.
He also explains the motive behind the new Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation in the field of international development assistance. As Kosachev notes, Russia is shifting its attention from multilateral projects to bilateral projects with global partners.
Russia Direct: Some believe that the crisis in Ukraine is having a major impact on Russia's ability to project soft power. This has been hinted at not only by Western experts such as Joseph Nye, but also by public opinion polls. How will Russia adapt its concept of soft power in these circumstances?
Konstantin Kosachev: I don’t see any need for immediate adaptation, but we do recognize the need for adaptation as part of creative development.
In my view, the soft power of any country is represented by people abroad who adequately perceive this country, understand all advantages of collaboration with this country and who are ready to contribute to this cooperation.
An so, if you take a look at social networks, the online environment, and the attitude of ordinary people around the world to what is happening in Ukraine, it is far less categorical than the attitude of Western politicians. Sometimes, it even contradicts the latter. 
For politicians, everything is black and white (or rather black): “We do not recognize Crimea as part of Russia! We support Maidan! We must isolate Moscow!” This view is being imposed in an attempt to fuel tensions in public opinion and force Russia to reconsider its actions.
It’s a struggle. And it is tough, but has no relation to how Russia is perceived broadly in the world, and I wouldn’t dramatize the situation.
RD: So you think the Ukrainian crisis is not affecting Russia’s image at all, other than on a narrow-minded level?
K.K.: It does affect. But for some people this image is improving, for others it is worsening.
There are attempts to destroy Russia’s image at a well-orchestrated level in a radical way. It’s because this image is definitely presented on Western TV and in some newspapers in a very negative way. And we clearly see it.
It’s enough just to claim in a newspaper that Russia occupied Crimea, and for many people who believe everything written in newspapers, they believe it to be the truth. And, of course, for those who are reluctant to seek truth, the image of Russia changes radically, because nobody likes occupiers.
But for those who look at the situation a little bit deeper, it is clear there was no occupation and annexation: It was the will of the people of Crimea, who after more than twenty years under Ukrainian governance did not feel like part of the country and who changed the status of their territory with this decision.
Our task is not to justify Russia's actions. Our task is to withstand the information campaign aimed at the discrediting of Russia and disseminate worldwide what really happened in Ukraine and Crimea.
RD: In this case, where is fine line between propaganda and soft power?
K.K.: Propaganda is a tool of direct influence on people’s consciousness. For propaganda, we have specially set up institutions, primarily, governmental ones, and many know about them.
Soft power is a different thing. It’s about people's own convictions that must come as a result of personal choice, not imposed in any way by means of propaganda.It’s not enough for the presence of government to make soft power more effective. Moreover, there should be less government, at least outwardly.
In the frontline, there should be activity of civil society, public organizations, and people who, even being in the minority, would not feel themselves outsiders and social outcasts under the pressure of a powerful government propaganda machine working abroad. And the number of such people is increasing now, not decreasing.
RD: You have called for a branch of Rossotrudnichestvo to be opened in Ukraine. What progress have you made?
K.K.: So far there is no progress in this field – the situation is very difficult. The matter is that opening such centers always requires the consent of both sides. We have an intergovernmental agreement with Ukraine that no one has canceled. It was signed in 1998, but ratified by Russia.
This agreement is valid and allows cultural offices to be opened outside our countries’ capitals. We have a center in Kiev; Ukraine has a center in Moscow. And both parties are entitled, in accordance with the agreement and with the consent of the Russian and Ukrainian authorities, to open branches in other cities.
Last year Russia’s president confirmed a plan on developing Russia’s cultural and scientific centers abroad for 2013-2015. The plan includes developing 11 centers abroad, nine of them in the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), including Kharkov. The branch in Kharkov was due to open this year and we had already begun consultations. But currently they are suspended, unfortunately. Today we are discussing other issues in Ukraine-Russia relations.
Regarding Rossotrudnichestvo, we would like to diversify its network in the future: I mean Donetsk, Dnepropetrovsk, Lvov, Uzhgorod, and other cities. But I repeat that, so far, it’s only a wish, not reality.
RD: What role does education play in shaping the image of Russia, and is it an effective tool of soft power?
K.K.: That's exactly right, higher education is a competitive product linked to our image. Study abroad defines people’s outlook and worldview. It is very important for Russia to have as many partners overseas as possible [through higher education].
Konstantin Kosachev, the head of Rossotrudnichestvo. Photo: RG
RD: Do you plan to increase the role of education by introducing, for example, more exchange programs and educational projects to promote Russian soft power?
K.K.: The first task we set was accomplished this year: The annual quota for inviting foreign students to Russia rose by 50 percent from 10,000 to 15,000 people.
We are also deciding the issue of how to make the learning environment in Russia for foreign students competitive. What do I mean? Currently, Russia does not pay foreign students’ travel expenses or health insurance, and pays them the same living allowance as Russian students.
But whereas most Russian students have either parents or an opportunity to work part time, foreign students have fewer alternatives.
This year, we were able to compensate the travel costs of 1,000 out of 15,000 students. Of course, it’s a small but important step, since last year the figure was zero.
A very important aspect of all this is why we invite foreigners to study in Russia in the first place. There are two answers. First, so that in theory they stay here, help strengthen the country, improve the overall level of education in the country, provide demographic diversity and diversify the labor market.
And the second probable answer is to ensure that having been educated here [in Russia], they become our partners on returning home. I support the second scenario if we talk about the effective usage of government funding.
RD: Recently the U.S. has been cutting back on many programs aimed at Russia, for example, Title VIII, Muskie, Fulbright. The office of the Kennan Institute in Moscow is also closing. Does this mean that America is losing interest in Russia and switching its focus to other regions?
K.K.: I don’t know if it’s losing interest or not, but I understand very well that if Americans are really losing interest, they are making a very big strategic mistake, because most problems in today’s world are simply impossible to be solved without Russia. After all, most of these problems directly concern the U.S. as well.
RD: Last week, Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the new Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation in the field of international development assistance. According to the document, Russia is changing its approach to international development assistance and focusing on targeted bilateral aid programs. What is this decision based on? How will it affect Russian soft power?
K.K.: We talk about aid for developing countries based on two principles.
Of course, the major one is that implementing such problems should resolve domestic social and economic problem of such countries. No less important is that, as result of such programs, Russia could feel more confidently in dealing with reliable, predictable and stable partners, which will stop exporting their own problems to our country. This is the sense of this work.  
At a certain level Russia has realized for itself that as a global leader it should maintain its leadership as a donor. In this context, there is an increasing role for understanding what we are doing.
And so, under the new concept, we are moving from a passive role as a participant in multilateral programs to an active role as a designer of such programs.
And these programs will be structured primarily on a bilateral level — under the Russian flag, so to speak, and not only through our contributions to international organizations, where they inevitably get de-personalized.
Second is identifying the geographical priorities of this assistance in line with Russia’s national interests. In other words, we are not only engaged in global philanthropy for all who need it, but also we purposely provide help for those who are close to Russia and whom Russia is interested in. I mean, of course, the CIS countries.
It should be noted first of all that the bilateral format allows us to retain control of the projects and choose the countries as we see fit. Second, two-way channels are far more effective in promoting the interests of domestic business.
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May 8-13 Public Diplomacy Review

May 14, 2014, 5:18 am
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"Marx had actually considered moving to the United States -- to newly annexed Texas -- but he discovered it was 'hellishly expensive' and dropped the idea."

--Kevin Peraino, Lincoln in the World: The Making of a Statesman and the Dawn of American Power (2023), p. 181; image from

"Confronted on Execution, Texas Proudly Says It Kills Efficiently"

--The New York Times Headline (May 13)

VIDEOS

Michael Davidson – Public Diplomacy - aubg.edu: "(October 16, 2013) Michael Davidson discusses international relations and how they really work in reality. He also talks about the people involved in the practical application of diplomacy and the way they take decisions. The speaker gives examples related to the European Union and the United Nations. Michael Davidson is the Head of the Political Section of the British Embassy in Bulgaria."

Russian State TV Anchor: 'Propaganda Is Journalism' - RFE/RL: "Andrei Kondrashov is one of 300 media professionals awarded by Russian President Vladimir Putin for their 'objective' coverage of events in Crimea. Speaking to RFE/RL in Moscow, Russian state television's leading news anchor defended his award and said he saw no difference between journalism and propaganda."

'Disinformation' Documentary Wins 'Telly' Award - "'Disinformation,' the stunning 2013 film documentary from WND Films that reveals, as never before, the wide-ranging Soviet-era disinformation campaigns against America that continue in effect even today, has been honored with a prestigious Telly Award.


‘The timing for the ‘Disinformation’ documentary and book couldn’t be any better, given the rise of Russian nationalism and the grave dangers this presents to the West and America,’ said WND Films’ George D. Escobar, who co-produced the film. ‘All of the threat and turmoil Russia is now suffering is fully revealed in this powerful movie directed by Emmy-winning director, Stan Moore.’”

ANNOUNCEMENTS

School of Diplomatic Skills - civic.md: "The European Academy of Diplomacy in Warsaw is accepting applications for the Schools of Diplomatic Skills and the Social Media for Public Diplomacy workshops to be held in July and cordially invite you and your colleagues to participate in those upcoming projects. The School of Diplomatic Skills is comprised of 2 week-long programs at different levels of diplomatic skills. ... The Social Media for Public Diplomacy to be held on 12 - 13 July 2014, is an intensive two-day program designed to improve professional capabilities to develop and implement successful social media campaigns... The Social Media for Public Diplomacy Workshop is designed for [inter alia] ... engaged individuals eager to gain invaluable experience in Public Diplomacy."

Young Diplomats Forum 2014‏, London - "Deadline: 30 June 2014 Open to: young leaders from across the world Venue: 1-5 September 2014, London, UK Description [:] The Young Diplomats Forum (YDF) is set up to recognise, enhance and develop the next generation of diplomats. This community


of exceptionally bright and accomplished future leaders will gain further insight, tools and opportunities to engage with key stakeholders at a crucial time in their careers and broaden their connections to influence global leaders. ... Our 2014 programme is varied from foreign policy, to sport and public diplomacy, to energy security and other topics." Image from entry

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY IN THE NEWS

America’s global leadership role - Anthony Manduca, timesofmalta.com: "America’s leadership role in the world, as well as its ability to deter would-be aggressors and troublemakers, has been in the spotlight lately, especially since the collapse of the Arab Spring (with the exception of Tunisia, the one bright spark in the entire region) and Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. Because the US is the world’s only superpower, as well as the most powerful global democracy, people expect it to act or to assume a leadership role whenever there is an international crisis or something goes wrong. America has the unenviable task of being considered the ‘world’s policeman’ and of being criticised for failing to act, either militarily or politically, whenever such action is needed on the world stage. Of course, when things go wrong as a result of its involvement, it is also heavily criticised. When Obama was first elected President of the US in November 2008 his foreign policy platform included an emphasis on global engagement, public diplomacy and multilateralism. His election came in the aftermath of a disastrous war in Iraq and an unpopular one in Afghanistan, which are expected to cost $6 trillion (€4.3 trillion), the equivalent of $75,000 for every American household, according to Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. ... On a more positive note, back in 2008 the US and Iran were getting nowhere in arriving at an agreement over Teheran’s nuclear programme; last November, however, Iran and the 5+1 countries (which includes the US) signed an interim nuclear accord and are currently negotiating a formal treaty. Hopefully, such a treaty will be signed; this has the potential to be the greatest foreign policy achievement of the Obama presidency, and would be a great victory for Obama’s belief in international engagement and the use of economic sanctions as a method of convincing countries to alter their behaviour. Time will tell, of course."

America's Standing in the World Before and After Obama - Kılıç Buğra Kanat, dailysabah.com: "Six years ago when President Barack Obama was running for the presidency, one of his major foreign policy goals was to restore U.S. standing in the world, which was experiencing one of the steepest decline in its history. Popular opinion regarding the U.S. had started to turn negative in the aftermath of the war in Afghanistan. Although global public opinion and international organizations, such as NATO, supported the war in Afghanistan, several different procedures that U.S. security forces adopted in this period started to tarnish the image of the U.S. as well as the legitimacy of its actions on the ground. ... Now, when he only has 30 months left in his presidency, President Obama is facing a test on foreign policy regarding U.S. standing around the world. Although polls shows U.S. standing today in a better place than six years ago, many observers agree that it is way behind expectations. ... In this final phase of his presidency, President Obama's policies on these matters will have serious impacts on U.S. popularity in the world. Especially in Syria and Egypt, if he continues to follow his current policies, the U.S. may face another downward trend in its standing. Under those circumstances, public diplomacy campaigns will only waste money on U.S. foreign policy."

Tomgram: Ann Jones, How to Lose Friends and Influence No One (The State Department Way) - tomdispatch.com: "As Washington increasingly comes to rely on the 'forward projection' of military force to maintain its global position, the Fulbright Program may be the last vestige of an earlier, more democratic, equitable, and generous America that enjoyed a certain moral and intellectual standing in the world. Yet, long advertised by the U.S. government as 'the flagship international educational exchange program' of American cultural diplomacy, it is now in the path of the State Department’s torpedoes. Right now, all over the world, former Fulbright scholars like me (Norway, 2012) are raising the alarm, trying to persuade Congress to stand by one of its best creations, passed by unanimous bipartisan consent of the Senate and signed into law by President Truman in 1946.  ...  [T]he Fulbright budget, which falls under the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), seems to be on the chopping block. The proposed cut amounts to chump change in Washington, only $30.5 million. But the unexpected reduction from a $234.7 million budget this year to $204.2 million in 2015 represents 13% of what Fulbright gets. For such a relatively small-budget program, that’s a big chunk. No one in the know will say just where the cuts are going to fall, but the most likely target could be 'old Europe,' and the worldwide result is likely to be a dramatic drop from 8,000 to fewer than 6,000 in the number of applicants who receive the already exceedingly modest grants. ... This is scarcely the moment for Washington to knock one nickel off its budget for international exchange. Longstanding educational partners of the U.S. in Europe, Asia, South America, Australia, and elsewhere now have other excellent opportunities for intellectual, scientific, and artistic exchange. Meanwhile, the dysfunctional, militarized, pistol-packin’ United States has lost much of its global allure."

Will Someone Stand Up? - Brian Carlson, publicdiplomacycouncil.org: "Just at the moment when America is bringing the troops home, when Vladimir Putin is challenging us as no one has since 1939, and when the United States needs friends and partners more than ever before, the State Department  proposes a 30.5 million dollar cut in the Fulbright Program, America’s flagship international educational exchange program. Why would State Department officials do this?



A low level spokesman said the Department needs to make some ‘strategic shifts.’  The strategic shift that needs to be made is a dramatic increase in public diplomacy of all kinds, but especially the kind that has proven to work.  Over the years, Fulbright has arguably produced more friends and supporters for America than any other State Department expenditure."Uncaptioned image from entry 

Promise of #Hashtag - Jake Robert Nelson, Freedom Fries for Lunch: "Many of the [State] Department’s missteps in executing social media diplomacy are the result of broader structural flaws––a fetishization of bureaucratic hierarchy, tensions from internal turf wars, a hesitancy towards innovation, a slow-churning process for creating new material––clashing with the reality of a media consumption climate requiring the instant and constant transmission of content. ... In an effort to improve the implementation of social media diplomacy, U.S. diplomats and policymakers should acknowledge the following general truths: 1. Social Media Diplomacy Requires an Understanding of the Target Audience [:] Like any other product, social media public diplomacy must reflect an understanding of its target audience. There is no one-size-fits-all model for sharing content. ... In countries with lower rates of medium-specific penetration, the self-selection bias that characterizes more traditional forms of public diplomacy undermines the claim that social media is a more democratic form of content dispersal. The tweet that may be wildly successful in Saudi Arabia, where Twitter penetration is 33 percent, may not circulate beyond a small circle of American-friendly elites elsewhere. 2. Social Media Diplomacy Requires Continuous Local Engagement [:] ... In most cases, an embassy’s public diplomacy officer or local staff, when appropriately trained, will be more likely to create lasting relationships over social media than a contractor working from Washington. 3. Social Media Diplomacy Requires Some Delegation of Authority ... How can the Department strike a balance between the desire to delegate the creation of content and the need for centralized supervision? By taking social media seriously, mainstreaming it into FSO training, and having a centralized hub in Washington that can provide clear guidance. Only when diplomats are properly trained in how to use social media will principals feel comfortable loosening up the reins."

Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Richard Stengel Travels to Kyiv, Ukraine; Riga, Latvia; and Brussels, Belgium - Media Note, Office of the Spokesperson, Washington, DC, May 11, 2014, state.gov: "U.S. Department of State’s Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Richard Stengel will travel to Kyiv, Ukraine; Riga, Latvia; and Brussels, Belgium on May 12-16. Under Secretary Stengel will use his trip to stress the need for greater regional engagement to support Ukraine’s upcoming May 25 elections, push back against efforts to delegitimize them and ensure that all Ukrainians are given the chance to decide their future for themselves. In Ukraine and Latvia, Under Secretary Stengel will meet with his counterparts in the Ukrainian and Latvian governments, members of civil society, and the media. His visit to Kyiv underscores U.S. support for Ukraine’s new interim government as it works to build an inclusive, transparent, and accountable system of government that is responsive to the needs of all Ukrainians. In Riga, he will focus on further strengthening the robust government-to-government and people-to-people relationships that exist between the United States and Latvia. In Belgium, Under Secretary Stengel will engage with a wide spectrum of European media and think tank leaders to discuss the current crisis in Ukraine; highlight U.S support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine; emphasize the importance of ensuring Ukraine’s upcoming elections are free, fair and transparent; and reaffirm the value America places on the Transatlantic partnership. As the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Stengel provides global strategic leadership for all Department of State public diplomacy and public affairs engagement. These programs are designed to ensure an accurate understanding of America’s foreign policy, foster mutual understanding with publics around the world, and promote universal values, including respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states, human rights such as the fundamental freedom of expression, and democratic principles of government."See also.

Southeast Ukraine Referenda Show Strong Support for Secession from the Coup Regime in Kiev - ainhoaaristizabal.wordpress.com: "Voters in two eastern Ukrainian provinces showed strong support for secession from the coup regime in Kiev, but the U.S. State Department and other regime supporters reject the outcome and vow to press ahead with a special presidential vote on May 25, Robert Parry reports. ... The next step for the State Department will be to promote a special Ukrainian presidential election called by the Kiev regime for May 25, with only regime supporters being given any chance of victory after major candidates representing the anti-coup east withdrew from the race, citing threats of arrest and physical attacks. Whereas State Department officials dismissed the legitimacy of Sunday’s referenda, in part, because of eastern Ukraine’s violence and disorder, that argument is sure to disappear in the run-up to the May 25 election. To guarantee that the West’s news media is reading from the right script, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Richard Stengel left for Kiev and other European capitals 'to stress the need for greater regional engagement to support Ukraine’s upcoming May 25 elections,' the State Department announced, saying Stengel would 'push back against efforts to delegitimize [the elections] and ensure that all Ukrainians are given the chance to decide their future for themselves.' ... Stengel is the same official who on April 29 issued a sloppily prepared 'Dipnote' that made broad-brush criticisms of RT’s content, accusing the Russian network of painting 'a dangerous and false picture of Ukraine’s legitimate government.'But Stengel’s commentary failed to include citations to the offending articles and also revealed a stunning ignorance of the events surrounding the Ukraine crisis."

Burning Ukraine’s Protesters Alive - Robert Parry, english.farsnews.com: "Today, in Syria, many of the most aggressive fighters against Bashar al-Assad’s government are Arab jihadists recruited from across the region and armed by Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf oil sheikdoms. So, it fits with a pattern for the U.S. government to hold its nose and rely on neo-Nazis from western Ukraine to take the fight to rebellious ethnic Russians in the east and south. The key to all these unsavory alliances is for the American people not to know about the real nature of these U.S. clients. In the 1980s, the Reagan administration advanced the concept of 'public diplomacy' to intimidate journalists and human rights activists who dared report on the brutality of U.S.-backed forces in El Salvador and Guatemala and the CIA-trained Contra rebels in Nicaragua. Thus, most Americans weren’t sure what to make of recurring reports about right-wing 'death squads' killing priests and nuns and committing other massacres across Central America. Regarding Afghanistan, it took the American people until Sept. 11, 2001, to fully comprehend whom the Reagan administration had been working with in the 1980s. Similarly, the Obama administration has tried to maintain the fiction that the Syrian opposition is dominated by well-meaning 'moderates.' However, as the brutal civil war has ground on, it gradually has become apparent that the most effective anti-Assad fighters are the Sunni extremists allied with al-Qaeda and determined to kill Shiites, Alawites and Christians. So, it should come as no surprise that the Kiev regime would turn to its Maidan 'self-defense' forces – formed around neo-Nazi militias – to go into southern and eastern Ukraine with the purpose of burning to death ethnic Russian 'insects' occupying buildings. The key is not to let the American people in on the secret."

Use the Cold War playbook to keep Russia in line - James Jay Carafano, washingtonexaminer.com: "There’s no need to swing from the current toothless response to full-bore militarization to bring Moscow to heel. Putin commands a second-rate Soviet Empire. U.S. strategy should be to get back to the place where America can ignore Moscow. ... Two more suggestions: [a] Play the human rights card. The Magnitsky Act is a powerful tool to name and shame Russian leaders — much better than the silly sanctions game going on now. [b] Fix the dysfunctional U.S. public diplomacy operation. It’s time we went after the Kremlin's lies and disinformation and set the record straight. Moscow employs every trick in the Soviet-era book of Winning Through Intimidation. It's time the West showed that, we too, can work from the same playbook."

How Free Is Myanmar? - Walter Russell Mead and Staff, the-american-interest.com: "Concerns over Myanmar’s commitment to its professed 'democratic' reforms have increased over the past few months . … Burma’s government often tries to claim great strides toward a more open, free society, and celebrates its advance in international press freedom rankings. U.S. and other Western officials sometimes join this back-slapping celebration. U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Richard Stengel said last week that ‘the [Burmese] political space has opened significantly in the last three years, and the government has taken important steps to cultivate an environment conducive to free, fair and independent media, a critical element of a vibrant democracy.’ But it still sits at 145 on the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index, a dismal rating, and the police can arrest journalists who make too much of a stir."

Coordinator Macon Phillips Travel to the United Kingdom, Moldova, and Austria May 12-16 - Media Note, Office of the Spokesperson, Washington, DC, May 9, 2014 - state.gov: "Coordinator Macon Phillips of the Bureau of International Information Programs will travel to the United Kingdom, Moldova, and Austria from May 12-16. In London, U.K., Coordinator Phillips will deliver a keynote address on digital diplomacy at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Annual Leadership Conference. He will meet with representatives from the public and private sectors on innovation in social media. In Chisinau, Moldova, Coordinator Phillips will meet with representatives from civil society, as well as the public and private sectors, to discuss capacity building in new and traditional media. In Vienna, Austria, Coordinator Phillips will visit the U.S. Embassy and meet with the U.S. Mission to the OSCE. For updates on Coordinator Phillips’ trip, follow him on Twitter @Macon44."

Top US Entreprenuer Hassan To Share Vital Business Tips In Zim - radiovop.com: "The United States Embassy is assisting a local tech-hub bring one of the world’s eminent entrepreneurs, Fahad Hassan, as it steps up efforts to enhance the potential of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Zimbabwe, Ambassador Wharton announced on this week.'We are bringing Forbes Top 40 young entrepreneur


Fahad Hassan from the U.S. to Zimbabwe to serve as a mentor for the 'Startup Weekend Harare' to be held in mid- May that even,' Ambassador Wharton to the 'Zimbabwe Going Forward' Conference hosted by SAPES Trust, a local think-tank. ... 'I believe so strongly in the potential of ICTs to offer opportunities and growth and…I remain optimistic about Zimbabwe’s future,' said the U.S. Ambassador who prior to his assignment in Zimbabwe supported the development of one of the first tech hubs in Kenya while serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Diplomacy in the Bureau of African Affairs at the Department of State."Image from entry, with caption: Fahad Hassan one of the world's eminent young entrepreneurs will be in Zimbabwe to share results-based business ideas

US, no example to media freedom despite its rhetoric to Sri Lanka - Daya Gamage, asiantribune.com: "The United States Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Doug Frantz through digital video conference from Washington addressing a gathering on May 8 at the American Center, Colombo to mark the World Press Freedom Day, highlighted that his country never punishes news organization for doing their job while lecturing Sri Lanka it should follow the American example. Quite familiar with this type of public affairs events organized by the American Embassy where this writer was public affairs and political specialist for two and a half decades, the message the American Ambassador Michele Sison, in organizing this event, endeavored to communicate to the Sri Lankan authorities is that - while projecting 'media freedom' in the U.S. - Sri Lanka does not have press freedom and that it should ensure the freedom of expression to the Fourth Estate. To have this discourse with a Sri Lankan gathering which included the media, the American Embassy exclusively takes the initiative - not the assistant secretary Frantz - to send messages to the host country authorities while enhancing the image of the United States.


Sir Winston Churchill once very famously said: 'If you have an important point to make, don’t try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time – a tremendous whack.' We intend to do just that in this Media Analysis to find out how much of media freedom is allowed by the current Obama administration under which assistant secretary Doug Frantz, and the organizer of this Colombo American Center event Ambassador Michele Sison serve as public affairs and public diplomacy envoys. ... It is not amusing to poke fun at a country like Sri Lanka which is still endeavoring to balance national security and civic liberties when there are still threats of the revival of the separatist movement - clearly visible in the global arena and evidence of regrouping domestically - even after five years of its defeat when dissenting voices in the United States are either silenced or harassed so much for the media freedom it proudly boast of. For the news documentary film maker journalist Laura Poitras, it not a joke to be arrested, confiscation of documents and notes, harassed on arrival at many American airports for well over forty times because of her dissenting views expressed in those footage the Obama administration and its intelligence officials decry. And she is not a foreigner but a born American."Uncaptioned image from entry

2013 Forum: Countering Violent Extremism and Terrorism -- Contesting Radicalization through Public Diplomacy - Jeselle Macatiag, Public Diplomacy Council: "After 9/11, U.S. foreign policy and U.S. Public Diplomacy faced a sharp ideological challenge from radical extremism and terrorism, empowered by nimble communication from tech- and media-savvy non-state actors. The speakers in this session discussed how U.S. government communicators have responded through different programs and approaches and what remains to be done to refine and improve these efforts. The U.S. government has tried various communication techniques to counter the influence of terror groups. The breakout session focused on a fairly recent enterprise: the interagency Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications (CSCC) in the U.S. Department of State. The CSCC makes use of new media and targeted communication online as well as programming in the field to specifically engage people vulnerable to radicalization. There was general agreement on the need for continuing interagency collaboration and further streamlining best practices of intervention in the cycle of radicalization. Speakers emphasized the need for counter-propaganda campaigns at the tactical level and fostering strong U.S. programs to complement counterterrorism efforts in target countries."

After Delaying Runoff, Afghan Taliban Announce Start Date of Fighting Season, Targets - Jim White, emptywheel.net: "Don Bacon on May 8, 2014 at 1:32 pm KABUL, Afghanistan (5 April 2014) — 'The International Security Assistance Force congratulates the people of Afghanistan on today’s historic election. Today’s success clearly demonstrates that the Afghan people have chosen their future of progress and opportunity. ... Battle for the Narrative: The US was slow to recognize the importance of information and the battle for the narrative in achieving objectives at all levels; it was often ineffective in applying and aligning the narrative to goals and desired end states. ... U.S. propaganda is defined as 'public diplomacy' at State and 'strategic communication' at Defense. Neither definition has anything to do with truth, but rather 'informing and influencing' and the 'advancement of United States Government interests, policies, and objectives.' ... State: The mission of American public diplomacy is to support the achievement of U.S. foreign policy goals and objectives, advance national interests, and enhance national security by informing and influencing foreign publics and by expanding and strengthening the relationship between the people and government of the United States and citizens of the rest of the world. ... DOD: Strategic communication is focused United States Government efforts to understand and engage key audiences to create, strengthen, or preserve conditions favorable for the advancement of United States Government interests, policies, and objectives through the use of coordinated programs, plans, themes, messages, and products synchronized with the actions of all instruments of national power."

Counterinsurgency: A Weight on American Military Effectiveness - defensestatecraft.blogspot.com: “In Malaya, the British fought with a colonial government widely seen as legitimate against an insurgency largely made up of minority ethnic Chinese, and the war effort involved the forcible displacement of approximately 500,000 rural people to closely guarded camps. Similarly, the arguably successful counterinsurgencies of the Boer War, the US in the Philippines, and the Dutch in the Aceh War all involved displacement of large portions of the population and acts which would be no doubt considered ‘war crimes’ by modern standards. Because such tactics are untenable in the


United States, it must employ resource and training-intensive methods such as public diplomacy. Such expenditure in money and man-hours reduces resources dedicated to maintaining and improving the military’s core warfighting competency. While advances in war-fighting, such as advanced communication technology, certainly are useful tools in prosecuting a counterinsurgency, the tactical, operational and strategic overlap between population-centric counterinsurgency and conventional 21st century warfare is minimal."Uncaptioned image from entry

RFE/RL And VOA Affiliate Stations Forced Off The Air In Ukraine, IBB Ignored Lithuanian AM Option - BBG Watcher, BBG Watch: "As predicted by many critics of the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB), the Broadcasting Board of Governors’ (BBG) powerful management and technical arm, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and Voice of America (VOA) affiliate stations were forced off the air in eastern Ukraine by pro-Russia rebels.


Earlier, the Russian government stopped rebroadcasts of VOA Russian radio program in Moscow after it had terminated also all RFE/RL Russian rebroadcasts. Critics accuse the IBB of not planning for such an eventuality and not being ready with AM and possibly also increased shortwave broadcasts to Russia and Ukraine, or being able to launch new satellite television programs in Russian on a short notice."Image from entry

Russia’s RT retweets on Voice of America website draw criticism from former BBG members - BBG Watcher, bbgwatch: "Two former Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) members have criticized Voice of America (VOA) practice of posting retweets without any explanation from President Putin’s propaganda media outlet


RT and from other anti-US shadowy sources, including a Twitter user who regularly retweets RT and calls herself 'Pro-#Russia,#Assad,#Gaddafi. F**k the #EU,#US.' The obscenity is spelled out on a Twitter account called 'Steiner1776' with the additional description: 'A frustrated #german and #socialist.' True identity of this person or persons could not be established by BBG Watch, but this Twitter users posts daily multiple tweets, all of them pro-Kremlin and often repeating Kremlin’s key propaganda claims and themes that are known to be false. Former BBG member Blanquita Cullum wrote that the Voice of America practice of 'retweeting something from Putin’s propaganda outlet RT without a legitimate news purpose–such as to expose propaganda–is UNACCEPTABLE!' Former BBG member Ambassador Victor Ashe called it 'disgraceful' and called on VOA head David Ensor 'to take control and remedy this or resign.'” Image from entry

BBG can be proud of its journalists working under defunct bureaucracy - BBG Watcher, bbgwatch: "Not all is defunct at the Voice of America (VOA) and the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) when it comes to Ukraine and Russia. Some VOA services and BBG grantees provide outstanding news coverage in some areas, but they could do much better if the agency were reformed and had better leaders. If more resources, which are now tightly controlled by the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB), were given to program producers, U.S. media outreach in Ukraine and Russia could be greatly enhanced. The IBB has been responsible for major strategic mistakes and is still a bureaucratic nightmare and a black hole for valuable but limited resources. The most mismanaged among BBG program producing entities, the Voice of America (VOA),lacks any kind effective leadership. Its language services do not get adequate support from the enormous VOA and IBB bureaucracy."

Spread The Word - lobotero.com: “there is a new role for the VOA………. According to a report at Foreign Policy, a new piece of legislation due for a vote on Wednesday of this week would force Voice of America, the federally funded news media organization, to toe the U.S. line even more closely and become an explicit propaganda tool of Washington. A powerful pair of lawmakers in the House of Representatives have agreed on major legislation to overhaul Voice of America and other government-funded broadcasting outlets that could have implications for the broadcaster’s editorial independence, Foreign Policy has learned. The new legislation tweaks the language of VOA’s mission to explicitly outline the organization’s role in supporting U.S. ‘public diplomacy’ and the ‘policies’ of the United States government, a move that would settle a long-running dispute within the federal government about whether VOA should function as a neutral news organization rather than a messaging tool of Washington. ‘It is time for broad reforms; now more than ever, U.S. international broadcasts must be effective,’ said Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, in a statement. A demand that VOA broadcast propaganda….now that is humorous….why?  It has always been an outlet for propaganda……but for decades we have pretended that it was only for the broadcast of ‘real’ news…..and now have have a bi-partisan bill that blows that pretense away.”

At VOA, Ken Tomlinson ‘helped bring down the Evil Empire’: Reagan-era Voice of America chief edited American values back into nation’s news - William Schulz washingtontimes: "In 1960, 16-year old Kenneth Tomlinson boarded a Trailways bus in the southwestern Virginia mountain town of Galax. The following morning, he got off the bus in Washington, D.C., and began a journey that would take him from a summer internship to journalistic and governmental heights that he could not have imagined. ... [I]n 1982 ... President Reagan asked Ken to ... head the Voice of America (VOA). He was the agency's third director in a year and sweeping reforms were necessary for an agency that Reagan wanted to play a key role in the Cold War. ... The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, would change Ken's life once more.


Aware of Ken's success at VOA, President George W. Bush asked him to chair not one but two presidential boards — the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees U.S. international broadcasting, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which controls both the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio. ... At the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Ken sought to bring a semblance of balance to public radio and TV programming. To counter what he called the 'preposterously left-wing' Bill Moyers show 'NOW,' Ken fought for, and won, approval for a weekly right-of-center show revolving around the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal."Image from entry, with caption: Kenneth Tomlinson Illustration by Greg Groesc

Brzezinski endorses arming Ukrainian junta, to no avail - voiceofrussia.com: "Among the strongest advocates of American aggression is former National Security Advisor and influential policy activist Zbigniew Brzezinski (incidentally, the strategic founder of the Mujahedeen), who in a recent article argues that the US needs to step up its military commitment to Ukraine.


What is most striking, however, is that Brzezinski's attempts to paint Russia in a negative light betray a self-conscious guilt on the part of the American ruling establishment. As such, Brzezinski’s latest blather into public diplomacy should be seen as nothing more than the thinly disguised psy-op that it is."Uncaptioned image from entry

Cherry blossoms and Yasukuni: clashing images of Japan's public diplomacy - Takeshi Yamawaki, asahi.com: "A cherry tree by the Potomac River measures 2 meters around its trunk. Looking at the young leaves, you would never guess this tree was more than 100 years old. A nearby sign states that this is the first cherry tree that Tokyo gifted to Washington, D.C., in 1912 as a symbol of their friendship. Nearly 4,000 cherry trees were in full bloom just a few weeks ago. This season, more than 1 million tourists visited Washington, D.C. 'Did you know that these trees were originally a gift from Japan?' I asked 10 people from a variety of backgrounds including elementary school students, young couples and grandmothers, who were visiting from Maine and Colorado as well as other distant states. I was surprised that all of them knew. They had learned about it in school, read about it online, or were told by their tour guides. ... There is a term called 'public diplomacy.' It refers to the type of diplomacy used by nations to create a positive image for itself in other countries. This includes disseminating information to the foreign media as well as cultural exchanges, basically a diplomatic initiative aimed at the public, as the name suggests. People and information from all over the world gather in Washington, making it a competitive city for public diplomacy. A senior staffer at the Japanese Embassy in Washington says, 'The cherry blossoms are Japan's trump card when it comes to public diplomacy.' When they are in bloom, the Japanese ambassador is extremely busy, making appearances at many Japan-related events in an effort to bolster his nation's image. China is strategically working to isolate and vilify Japan to enhance its own image. After Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to Yasukuni Shrine in December, the Chinese ambassador to the United States contributed an op-ed piece to The Washington Post, stating, 'We see the homage at Yasukuni as nothing less than a challenge--not only to us but to the world.' Regarding Yasukuni, Chinese ambassadors in more than 70 countries and regions contributed similarly critical pieces to local papers. There is no denying that the U.S. media were swayed by this. There was a noticeable increase in negative coverage of Japan and Prime Minister Abe. Nevertheless, various polls show that Japan still holds a much better image than China. Meanwhile, the U.S. image around the world isn’t particularly positive. Especially since the war in Iraq, the United States has been viewed very unfavorably in the Middle East. Recently, the State Department appointed Richard Stengel, the former managing editor of Time magazine, as undersecretary of state for public diplomacy. The choice of a top journalist underscores U.S. efforts at ameliorating its image abroad. A quiz tournament called the National Japan Bowl takes place every year during the cherry blossom season. High school students who study Japanese gather from all over the country to face off in a battle over knowledge of all matters Japanese. This year approximately 40 schools participated. At the competition, William Breer, a former director of the Office for Japanese Affairs at the State Department, was cheering on the students. His wife, Margaret, took part in preparing the questions. Breer expressed his disappointment about the two Japanese Cabinet members and about 150 lawmakers who visited Yasukuni Shrine during and around its annual spring festival. 'I have no objection to their will to pay their respects to the war dead,' Breer said. 'But I would like them to be aware of how people abroad see their tribute to Yasukuni right before President Obama’s visit to Japan.' The global battle over public diplomacy marches on."

Men At Work: Polls do not mean a break for babus. They continue to toil behind the scenes - Joe C. Mathew, businessworld.in: "In the first week of May, when external affairs minister and Congress leader Salman Khurshid was in the midst of a heated election campaign in Varanasi — the high-profile constituency where party nominee Ajay Rai is taking on BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi — his ministry forged ahead with its diplomatic business. The public diplomacy division of the ministry worked equally hard on a campaign of sorts — fighting the negative perception of India’s pharmaceutical industry created by its global rivals. The ministry organised a special screening of a documentary, Fire In The Blood, before representatives of foreign embassies and the international media.


It was intended to showcase the life-saving role the Indian generic drug industry has played in making anti-AIDS medicines available to millions of poor patients in Africa at a fraction of the cost charged by innovator brands. The film was screened two days after the United States Trade Representative (USTR), in its annual Special 301 Report, put India on the 'priority watch list', indicating the serious concern that the USTR had about India’s 'intellectual property rights (IPR)' compliance levels. India’s response to the USTR report was not limited to this act of public diplomacy. The commerce ministry — the administrative ministry for trade and IPR issues — has already conveyed its stand. Rajeev Kher, commerce secretary, has informed USTR that the right forum to discuss the concerns of the US industry will be the bilateral Trade Policy Forum (TPF) that is already in place." Image (of India's Ministry of Foreign Affairs) from entry

NSA, Israel, GVEs, Hasbara, and Gun Massacres in the USA and Beyond - Michael Gillespie, dissidentvoice.org: "Because broadcast media news outlets in the USA seldom if ever mention Israeli espionage in their news coverage or in their ever more rare investigative reports related to matters of public interest, most Americans are unaware of and unconcerned about Israel as an espionage threat. Nevertheless, Israel has long been at or near the top of the list of nations with active and robust intelligence and espionage programs aimed at the USA and is by far the single worst offender among nations with propaganda campaigns directed at American audiences. Israel calls its public diplomacy efforts hasbara, and it is well-nigh impossible to overstate the influence of Israeli propaganda on American audiences. Likewise, because Israeli leaders and their political and media operatives exercise truly extraordinary influence over them, the vast majority of US elected officials seldom if ever mention the Israeli espionage threat or criticize Israel in any way. Rather, currying favor with Israeli leaders, media operatives, and spies is seen by many as a fast lane to success in government service and longevity of tenure in Congress.  ... As long as the Israeli political and media machine wields such wildly inordinate and inappropriate influence over US politicians, political institutions, and what passes for popular culture and a public discussion in America, it is very difficult to imagine that the NSA, CIA, FBI and other US law enforcement agencies will find the guidance and political support necessary to address effectively these increasingly problematic espionage-related-and-driven public health, public safety, and national security challenges."

Oren: Claims the FBI warned Israeli diplomats about spying are baseless - turkishweekly.net: "Claims that Israeli diplomats were summoned by the FBI dozens of times in the decade since 9/11 and told to stop spying on the US are 'utterly without foundation,' former ambassador to the US Michael Oren, who served in Washington from July 2009 to September 2013. ... He said that he did not foresee any public diplomacy damage as a result of these stories, because while they are front page news in Israel, their resonance in the US was much, much less." See also.

How Israel's Dusty Zionist Bureaucracy Survives: Jobs for Cronies — and Ties to Deep-Pocketed Diaspora - Anshel Pfeffer, forward.com: "Research showing that anti-Semitism in Europe and North America have actually gone down is disregarded, as is the expert view that the threat to Israel from delegitimization and the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement has been blown far out of any proportion. 'Thirty years ago, Jewish officials were talking about the poisonous atmosphere on campuses in America, exactly as they are today,' says one Israeli who works with American-Jewish organizations. 'But if you look at things from a historical perspective, nothing has changed.


It’s just the Internet that’s magnifying the threat. Meanwhile, Israel’s diplomatic and commercial ties with the world have improved exponentially and there’s absolutely no sign of any reversal of that trend.' The argument over the severity of the threat has combined with a turf war between the Foreign Ministry and other government departments trying to get in on the hasbara act. In the previous Netanyahu government, Yuli Edelstein’s Diaspora and Public Diplomacy Ministry tried to lead the charge and push campaigns on campuses. Funding that it transferred abroad was blocked by the consulates and Edelstein had to get Foreign Minister Lieberman to intervene. A hasbara activist complains, 'The Foreign Ministry wants everything to stay with them, that’s why Israel’s image is so bad. They block initiative and resources because of the diplomats’ prestige.' In the current government, the standard-bearer is Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz. His office has prepared an ambitious plan to fight delegitimization, which demands a budget of 100 million shekels. 'All they want to do is fight the whole world,' says a dismissive diplomat. 'We have to engage with people, but they are convinced we’re facing an existential threat.' Netanyahu has yet to decide whether to award Steinitz the budget. While the squabbling within the government continues, the freelance organizations are representing Israel. They all claim to be non-political and 'pro-Israel,' but the reality is they hew to a hard-right agenda, often creating absurd situations. Earlier this year, a group of British Jewish students backed by the Stand With Us movement expelled from the Israel Society at Oxford University Israeli students who were unhappy with their obsessive focus on fighting pro-Palestinian groups on campus. 'Only the right-wingers are on the frontline' says a British left-wing Zionist activist. 'I wish groups like Peace Now and J Street were prepared to confront the anti-Israel far-left. Instead the right-wing has totally monopolized hasbara and it’s all become very violent and theatrical. The whole world now believes the far-right represents Israel.'” Uncaptioned image from entry

Constant threats, constant progress - Evelyn Gordon, jpost.com: "Israel will need to improve its public diplomacy if it is to keep the delegitimization movement in check."

Changing the presidency - Yosef I. Abramowitz, jpost.com: "Shimon Peres has redeemed the institution of the presidency and there are no more leaders of his stature or generation in Jewish life, other than Elie Wiesel and Natan Sharansky. ... Since we have historically been surrounded by enemies, Israel has correctly focused on building 'hard power'– the kind represented by planes, tanks, missiles and soldiers.


Today, as we are losing the hasbara (public diplomacy) and BDS (boycotts, divestment and sanctions) battles country by country, the president should be the leader in building soft power in the world to bolster our diplomatic standing as well as our brand equity."Image from entry, with caption: President Shimon Peres on state visit to Austria, March 3

Gülenist Diaspora and the Discourse of Authoritarianism - Burhanettin Duran, setav.org: "Turkey is faced with a public diplomacy problem which it has never faced before in all of its history: A diasporic opposition that is hierarchically organized and ruled from


the USA. ... The Gülen Movement, accused of founding a parallel state nestled in the government, is frequently in the limelight through its international connections. Investigated for illegal wiretapping and espionage in Turkey, the Movement's strategy has been to put pressure on groups through the international public opinion. The Gülen Movement has a diasporic nature, mobilizing different networks against the AK Party in more than 150 countries in an organized manner. The over-politicization of this religious service movement through its reflex of taking over the government in Turkey resulted in the loss of its religious legitimacy." Image from entry

OSCE watchdog is latest to blast Turkey on lack of press freedom - Roy Gutman, miamiherald.com: "A leading international human rights watchdog slammed Turkey on Friday for passing new laws that she said would further intimidate independent journalists in a country where freedom of expression is already severely limited and the news media have become 'critically stifled.'Dunja Mijatovic of the Vienna-based Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe singled out a new intelligence law that threatens journalists with up to 10 years in prison 'for simply doing their work' on the heels of a law passed earlier this year that banned thousands of websites. ... Mijatovic welcomed the fact that Turkey has released many of the journalists it had jailed and now holds 29, down from 95 in 2011. But she warned that unless laws are passed to protect freedom of speech and to decriminalize the defamation of public figures, 'these journalists may easily find themselves back in prison if they do not write according to the taste of those in power.' ... Erdogan’s Office of Public Diplomacy didn’t respond to a request for comment on key points of Mijatovic’s statement."

Syrian opposition leader not giving up on appeal for anti-aircraft weapons - Julian Pecquet, Al-Monitor: "In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, a senior adviser to Syrian National Coalition President Ahmad Jarba said the [Syrian - JB] conflict won’t end until Russia ceases to support President Bashar al-Assad.


And without a shift in the balance of power on the ground, she said, that’s never going to happen. 'If the Russians see, oh [the Americans] are serious now, they are going to arm them, [they’ll decide] let’s talk again about Geneva, let’s talk again about a political solution,' Rime Allaf, Jarba’s adviser for public diplomacy, told Al-Monitor in an interview at the opposition’s Washington-area hotel on Friday. 'This is our way to the political solution, with the Russians, to get in and change their position. We understand that nothing is going to change without the Russians doing something about it.” Image from entry, with caption: Syrian National Coalition President Ahmad Jarba (center right, in blue tie) waits to meet with members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, at the US Capitol in Washington, May 7, 2014

Javad Zarif and Iran's foreign policy under Hassan Rouhani - matthewmachowski.com: "Javad Zarif and Hassan Rouhani – Iran’s Foreign Minister and President respectively – pay great attention to widely publicising the details of their foreign policy.


Their unprecedented Twitter presence is a clear example of the new administration’s wish for greater international transparency and public diplomacy." Image from entry

Tehran International Book Fair 2014 finishes - presstv.ir: "Tehran International Book Fair (TIBF) 2014 has finished the year’s programs after hosting divergent cultural activities held during 10 days. ... Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati along with a number of international diplomats attended the event’s opening ceremony held on April 29. 'The international book fair is a kind of public diplomacy and a place for cultural exchanges and interactions,' Rouhani stated at the ceremony.


Some 600 foreign publishers from Germany, France, Turkey, Japan, Lebanon, Syria, China, Qatar, and several other countries presented nearly 160,000 of their latest publications at the event. Afghanistan was named as the guest of honor at this edition of the international exhibition. ... The Fair is considered the most significant event of its kind in Asia and the Middle East and a significant venue for publishers and book lovers to exchange opinions and experiences."Image from entry

EU Council adopts freedom of expression guidelines, implications for foreign relations - middleeastmonitor.com: "The Council of the European Union has adopted the EU Guidelines on Freedom of Expression online and offline, adding to the EU's Human Rights Guidelines. The EU hailed the development as a reaffirmation of 'the pivotal role that freedom of opinion and expression play in a democratic society'. The general aim of the Guidelines, says Brussels, 'is to address unjustified restrictions on freedom of expression, promote media freedom and provide valuable guidance to EU officials and staff across the globe.''Through these Guidelines', the Council press release states, the EU 'stresses that the right to freedom of opinion and expression is a universal right and applies to all persons equally. States must ensure that their legal systems provide adequate and effective guarantees of freedom of opinion and expression to all and can be properly enforced.'


Significantly, the Guidelines also protect freedom of expression on the internet, affirming that 'human rights which exist offline must also be protected online, in particular the right to freedom of opinion and expression.'The Council has also vowed that, in pursuit of these aims, 'the EU will make full use of the tools available, such as traditional diplomatic tools (political dialogues, high level visits, public statements and demarches), but also good and effective use of financial instruments available, public diplomacy in multilateral fora and continuous cooperation with regional organisations, such as the Council of Europe and OSCE.' News of the EU Council decision comes as criticism mounts over the body's response to restrictions on freedom of speech in post-coup Egypt."Image from entry

A Bring Back Our Girls Reading List - leighanoisgocuramach.com:
“From Foreign Affairs, September 2011:  [‘]Instead of associating itself with Abuja’s heavy-handed military response, the Obama administration should urge Jonathan to address what are essentially political problems: poverty and the corruption-driven alienation felt by the population of northern Nigeria, factors that contribute to Boko Haram’s popular support. . . . Even if Boko Haram expand its operations and establish significant contacts with international terrorist organizations, the Obama administration should not let counterterrorism considerations trump these public diplomacy strategies. Too heavy a hand would risk alienating Nigeria’s 75 million Muslims, who already have legitimate grievances in the north. This, in turn, could undermine the very unity of Nigeria — something neither Washington nor Abuja can afford. ['] John Campbell, To Battle Nigeria’s Boko Haram, Put Down Your Guns.”

Nigeria, Oil and the Global War on Terror Redux - karl-naylor.blogspot.com: "The abduction of 267 girls has been spun into a chorus of denunciation from Western leaders and diplomats is intended as 'public diplomacy' to enable the Western powers to intervene with military aid to shore up the Nigerian state which looks as though it is losing control of the country."

Could Canada ‘Brand’ Makeover Spark Exports? - Nirmala Menon, wsj.com: “An image makeover may be the spark Canada needs to boost its exports performance. Canada typically ranks high in global polls as a country, but as a business brand, not so much. This branding issue is hampering the country’s


efforts to diversify trade into key global markets, according to a new report. Successive governments have neglected to promote and shape Canada’s brand overseas, says a report from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. … Late last year, Ottawa unveiled a new trade policy known as ‘economic diplomacy,’ under which diplomatic assets will be harnessed to help the private sector."Image from entry

Canada's Afghan mission honoured in Ottawa ceremony: End of Canadian mission in Afghanistan to be honoured with a parade, flybys, speeches and the presence of the families of soldiers who died overseas - thestar.com: “'The mission was complex and difficult, and it cost a real human price for Canada, for Afghanistan, and for our allies,' said Governor General David Johnston, who serves as commander-in-chief. ... Johnston ... paid tribute to the work of development workers, diplomats, correctional officers and police officers who faced the same risks as the troops.


They included Renée Filiatrault, who served as senior public diplomacy officer for 14 months in Afghanistan. She said the civilian contributions are a part of the mission overlooked by Canadians."Image from entry, with caption: Governor General David Johnston places a flower on a wreath at a National Day of Honour ceremony.

Does Sri Lanka have diplomatic presence in Canada to separate Tiger flag from Tamil Culture? - Daya Gamage, asiantribune.com: "Misinformation of a nation's character is a very serious one in the international arena, and the handlers of Sri Lanka's external affairs along with its accredited diplomatic cadre in Canada seem to be doing a severe disservice to this South Asian nation in their utter failure to use the basics of public affairs, public diplomacy and strategic communication techniques to convince the Canadian media that the separatist/terrorist Tamil Tiger 'Flag' and the 'Tamil Culture' are completely two different issues. ... We repeat what the Asian Tribune carried a few weeks ago about presenting a 'Tamil Front Man' to handle public diplomacy, public affairs and strategic communication in Sri Lanka dealings in external affairs who knows the sentiments of the


Tamil people both in Sri Lanka and the Diaspora, their culture and its heritage, ethnic relations, the handling of Sri Lanka's national issues cogently with the West and who is well knowledgeable about the activities of the professionals who are within the Tamil Diaspora - the professionals who aided and abetted LTTE leader Prabhaharan's separatist/terrorist movement - driving the Tamil people in an adventurist path for 26 years."Image from entry, with caption: Kumaran Markandu at his home with a Tamil flag London, Ontario pictured May 2, 2014.

Brazil’s Hesitant BRICS Summit Preparation // http://www.brics6.com.br Still Offline 13 May. 2014 - Oliver Stuenkel, postwesternworld.com: "Two months from now, the leaders of five major powers from the Global South are set to meet in Fortaleza for the 6th BRICS Summit. It is Brazil's chance to reaffirm its commitment to play a pro-active role in global affairs. In addition, if the Brazilian government succeeds in organizing a well-attended BRICS-UNASUR meeting the day after the BRICS Summit, it will powerfully symbolize Brazil's convocatory power and regional leadership ambition.


Yet preparations seem to be somewhat hesitant, if not lackluster. ... Engaging the public both at home and abroad is crucial particularly because the majority of Brazilians does not know what the BRICS grouping is. More worryingly still, those who have heard of the concept are deeply skeptical. Public diplomacy is no panacea and its impact should never be overestimated, but a series of op-eds by the Foreign Minister in all BRICS countries, perhaps a TED Talk, a solid summit website and a strong presence on facebook and twitter would be helpful to engage civil society - both in Brazil and elsewhere - and start a debate about what the BRICS grouping is all about. This may also help demystify and clarify the concept in Europe and the United States, where the BRICS grouping is often thought of either as an investment category it was more than a decade ago or an alliance determined to overthrow global order." Uncaptioned image from entry

China ups its game in Africa - str8talkchronicles.com: "Under China’s new administration, the wives of top political leaders have been taking far more public roles, part of a strategy to present a softer, friendlier image in international diplomacy. When President Xi Jinping visited Africa last year on his first overseas trip, he also brought his wife, the popular singer Peng Liyuan, who toured a music school and a women’s charity. On the ground, Chinese embassies are trying to improve public diplomacy by reaching out to African media and seeking collaborations with local NGOs on training and education projects, under the awkwardly named 'China-Africa people to people friendship action' plan.


Apart from these feel-good efforts, China’s government has been upping its involvement in African security issues, a response to the instability and conflicts that threaten China’s economic presence in some African countries. Most notably, the People’s Liberation Army sent 170 combat troops to Mali last year — a first for China, which traditionally sends only non-combat army staff. Chinese officials have also been involved in trying to mediate the South Sudan conflict, where the country has significant oil interests. 'Given China’s considerable oil stake in the unstable South Sudan, many believe that China is gradually abandoning its long-term ‘non-interference’ principle to protect its overseas economic interests,' wrote Yun." Image from entry, with caption: Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang reviews an honour guard at the presidential villa in Abuja, Nigeria.

Committee On Economic, Social And Cultural Rights Considers Reports Of China And Hong Kong And Macao Special Administrative Regions - insurancenewsnet.com: "China ... moved away from a policy of neglect of people living with HIV/AIDS to vitally moving to believe it was a key problem that had to be addressed through interventions, which was commendable. ... China would from 2013 to 2015 provide US$20 billion in loans to Africa, so far US$10 billion in loans had been distributed. China was also helping through public diplomacy, peace-building and cooperation. On the rights of persons living with HIV/AIDS, a delegate estimated that there were 437 million AIDS patients in China but due to secrecy and stigma it was hard to know accurately. By law, nobody should discriminate against a person with HIV/AIDS."

A shot in the arm for 'lady diplomacy' - chinadaily.com: "Cheng Hong, wife of Premier Li Keqiang and popularly referred to as the 'second lady', has added charm to the premier's four-nation visit to Africa. Accompanying her husband for the first time on an official foreign visit, Cheng has provided a shot in the arm for 'lady diplomacy'. Fifty years ago, the first visit by Zhou Enlai, then China's premier, to Africa was aimed at achieving a diplomatic breakthrough with the countries in the continent amid the confrontation of two superpowers, the United States and the former Soviet Union. Premier Li's visit to the continent, on the other hand, is aimed at consolidating Sino-African relationship, which includes cooperation in industrial, financial and security issues. To upgrade the Sino-African relationship, the two sides have to not only deepen their official and tangible cooperation, but also take measures to expand civil interactions. And by accompanying her husband on the trip to Africa, Cheng has sent a strong signal that China and Africa are bonded not only by trade, but also by friendship. 'Lady diplomacy' could play a supplementary role in China's public diplomacy. For example, Li is not expected to find time during his busy schedule in Africa to meet civil communities, but Cheng would be a perfect candidate to meet them in person and convey the premier's greetings and good wishes to them. Neither Peng Liyuan, President Xi Jinping's wife, nor Cheng has an official title, but both play an important role in deepening exchanges with the wives of the leaders of the countries their husbands visit. Since the leaders' wives can communicate more freely and thus reach an agreement on some issues more easily, they can strengthen bilateral relationship on the non-political and non-trade fronts. By talking with different people in the country her husband visits, Cheng can help ordinary people to better understand China, the Chinese people and their culture. Unlike the leaders who are engaged in formal talks on official policies and cooperation, their wives can focus on much less controversial topics such as education, community service, children and social aid, which are more closely related to ordinary people and will improve mutual understanding of the peoples on the two sides."See also.

"Taiwan assumes a pragmatic, yet strategic position between the U.S. and China" - Emre Tunç Sakaoğlu, turkishweekly.net: "Among the sub-headings articulated in detail by Prof. Su were the strategic aspects of U.S.-Taiwan military cooperation, the broadening scale of commercial links between Taiwan and China, Chinese public's and politicians' view concerning Taiwan and vice versa, categorical periods and recent milestones in cross-strait relations, dynamics of security cooperation between Taipei and Tokyo, critical multilateral platforms for improving cross-strait relations, and various channels of public diplomacy between Taiwan and China.

Analysis of the "public-Private Hell" Propaganda Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Two Countries, China and South Korea [Google "translation"] - newclassic.jp: "'Public Diplomacy (public diplomacy) there is a word 'and. Be translated in the form or 'public relations diplomacy' and 'public diplomacy' is often, it is an area where in short, are dealing with a discussion of how should we do to take advantage of soft power to contribute to the national interest. Importantly, it is part of 'as contributing to the national interest'. Conventionally, in the discussion of public diplomacy in Japan, this part will fall out comfortably, encouraging understanding of Japan, such as advertising, public relations and international exchange, in other countries as well as good, and only listed the abstract goal Yes, and this has been assumed to be lacking in thinking and strategic a lukewarm manner. That in the anti-Japanese campaign today, are deployed worldwide by China and South Korea, it had made ​​the cause of Japan is to stand in the inferior would be undeniable."

Budget hits ABC, SBS, Screen Aust, Australia Network - David Knox, tvtonight.com.au: "As previously rumoured, the government is terminating the $223m contract between the ABC and DFAT’s Australia Network. The international television service was established by the ABC in 1993, then known as ATVI. The ABC is 1 year into its current 10 year contract.


The Government will save $196.8 million over nine years by terminating the Australia Network contract. ABC’s Managing Director, Mark Scott said: 'Countries around the world are expanding their international broadcasting services as key instruments of public diplomacy. The ABC had negotiated a detailed strategy with DFAT to develop relationships with major broadcasters in the region and to target locals likely to trade, study in or travel to Australia. This partnership had resulted in expanded audiences in key markets and was on track to deliver all agreed targets. This decision runs counter to the approach adopted by the vast majority of G-20 countries who are putting media at the centre of public diplomacy strategies to engage citizens in other countries. ...'"Uncaptioned image from entry

National Commission of Audit: When you’ve cut DFAT to the bone… - Melissa Conley Tyle,  lowyinterpreter.org: "The Commission's recommendation to axe the Australia Network received significant coverage.




It also recommended ending Australia's involvement in World Expos, which are described as having 'some public diplomacy value' but at a 'very high' cost."Uncaptioned image from entry

Denmark and Australia practise Eurovision diplomacy - Fleta Page, The Canberra Times: The weird and wacky performances of the Eurovision song contest might seem like a strange bit of annual kitsch, but for 2014 host country, Denmark, the occasion is an opportunity to strengthen international relations, particularly with Australia. 'It’s a globalised world, there’s a lot of competition for attention and an event like [Eurovision] certainly creates additional positive attention for Denmark and we think that’s great,' Ole Neustrup, the deputy head of mission at the Danish Embassy in Canberra said. 'Not everyone loves Eurovision, let’s be honest, most people see it as something fun, it’s not too serious, you have a fun evening.'


Mr Neustrup arrived in Canberra the week before Denmark won the 2013 song contest and has seen the power of Eurovision as a tool for public diplomacy. 'There were three things that opened the door for Danish-Australian relations last year. We had just won the song contest; everybody talked about the Danish TV series on television ... ['] 'We call it public diplomacy which is an important part of what we’re doing – that is promoting exchanges between our country and other countries,' the Danish diplomat said."Image from entry, with caption: Eurovision

Pakistan has huge potential in renewable energy, agriculture - nation.com.pk: "Ambassador of Denmark, Jesper Moller Sorensen ... said there was a huge potential for enhanced cooperation with Pakistan in the areas of renewable energy, Information Technology,


software development, agriculture and pharmaceuticals. ... Ambassador Sorensen ... said the bilateral ties between the two countries have 'significantly' improved in the past few years. The Danish Embassy was now much more broadly engaged in areas such as development cooperation, stabilization, public diplomacy, and trade."Uncaptioned image from entry

Proviamo con i "volontari" - italintermedia.globalist.it: "Il Montenegro è in fase negoziale dal 2010 dopo un percorso cominciato ancor prima dell'indipendenza, nel 2003, con la richiesta di far parte del Partnership for peace programme dell'Alleanza. La Alpha Centre di Niksic è un'organizzazione fondata nel 2006, lo stesso anno in cui si è tenuto il referendum che ha separato ufficialmente il Montenegro dalla Serbia.


Pur essendo non governativa, conta fra i donatori numerose istituzioni come l'ambasciata americana a Podgorica, oltre che settori della Nato come la Public Diplomacy Division e il Membership Council Communication Team. Dal 2008 la ong organizza tutti gli anni un campus che riunisce studenti, esperti e autorità istituzionali per 'imparare e discutere' dell'importanza della membership Nato."Uncaptioned image from entry

The participants of the forum “the Balkan dialogue-2014″ has called the sanctions against Russia harmful for Europe - at-ion.net: "In the Serbian capital on may 5, the works began the forum 'the Balkan dialogue-2014', organized by Fund of support of public diplomacy name A. M. Gorchakov.


The program of the forum was opened with a panel discussion with participation of well-known Russian and Balkan historians, specialists in the field of international relations and law, parliamentarians and politicians."Uncaptioned image from entry

Diplomacy for everyone in Albania - balkaneu.com: "The prominent diplomat, Dr. Jorgji Kote has worked in the foreign service for 35 years. He’s a career diplomat and currently works as a diplomatic advisor in the Albanian embassy in Brussels. ... Dr. Kote has worked in order to publish the book 'Diplomacy for everyone'. This book is a book for everyone who’s interested on diplomacy, regardless of the profession or status. Dr. Jorgji Kote


stresses the importance that diplomacy has today for a country like Albania, which aspires to become an EU member. ... Dr Tonin Gjuraj, rector in a private university in Tirana, praises Kote’s publication by stressing the role that cultural and economic diplomacy has taken today. 'Dr. Kote has given us a valuable book, a practical manual which can benefit not only to students of International Relations, but a wider spectrum, because Kote has very well explained issues of official diplomacy and its main routes. The author has managed to dedicate a special place to economic and public diplomacy', says Gjuraj." Uncaptioned image from entry

UK minister stresses need for renewed efforts on settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict - Sabina Ahmadova, en.trend.az: "The UK Minister for Europe, David Lidington


has made a statement on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the ceasefire agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, a message posted on the website of UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office said. ... The UK Minister for Europe underscored in this statement that the public diplomacy is the main factor in achieving peace and harmony."Uncaptioned image from entry

Singers from Yerevan, Baku, Stepanakert join in one project on the 20th anniversary of ceasefire - armradio.a: "In the framework of the project 'Together 2' implemented by non-governmental organizations “European Integration” (Yerevan), 'Society for Humanitarian Research' (Baku) and 'Institute of Public Diplomacy' (Stepanakert) the English version of the song 'Together' created with the joint effort of musicians and song-writers from the region of Karabakh conflict in the first phase of the project has been released on the 20th anniversary of the ceasefire agreement signed in 1994. The song is performed by Yevgeniya Timchenko (Baku), Narine Grigoryan (Stepanakert) and Gayane Sargsyan (Yerevan). Project 'Together 2' is the continuation of the project 'Together' in the framework of which musicians, poets, designers, PR specialists, photographers and clip-makers from the region of the Karabakh conflict presented their ideas and works (attributes, logos, slogans, lyrics, music, photos and videos) on the topic of 'Peace'."

International experts and pioneers in digital diplomacy meet in Barcelona - bidd.linkmedia.rs: "The Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia is organizing the conference 'Digital Diplomacy: Fostering a collaborative engagement' on Thursday 8 May. Diplomats, professionals, and experts from the communications sector in the field of international relations will share their experience and ideas and offer examples of good practice in this new discipline.


The objective of the conference is to contribute, from Catalonia, to the global debate on the use of internet and social networks in the field of diplomacy and public diplomacy. ... The event will be opened by Albert Royo, Secretary General of the Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia . ... The Public Diplomacy Council of Catalonia regularly carries out participatory and public digital diplomacy initiatives with the aim of spreading information and news about Catalonia worldwide via an active presence in social networks." Image from entry

La traición promarroquí de Cebrián contra un histórico de "El País" - M. Ortega, elsemanaldigital.com: "La salida de un veterano periodista del diario de Prisa ha caído como una bomba en una redacción afectada por los enjuagues político-económicos del presidente de su grupo editor. Cembrero ha señalado que 'El País' ha cedido a las presiones y le ha dejado vendido frente a la persecución de Rabat.


Las circunstancias de la marcha de Ignacio Cembrero, recogidas tan sólo por algunos medios digitales españoles, han generado un nuevo trauma en la plantilla de El País. Cembrero, periodista del rotativo desde 1979 y corresponsal en Marruecos durante catorce años, tomó la puerta de salida del periódico al considerar que éste le había dejado vendido frente a la persecución emprendida por el Gobierno de Rabat contra él. La cuestión ha recibido más atención por parte de la prensa internacional que de la española. ¿El por qué? Algunos medios críticos de Marruecos han apuntado a presiones del llamado lobby promarroquí en España y a la public diplomacy de los viajes organizados al Mamounia de Marraquech. En cualquier caso, lo que sí parece evidente es que El País optó por un perfil bajo en el caso Cembrero después de que el primer ministro marroquí denunciase al periodista español ante la Audiencia Nacional por apología del terrorismo."Image from entry, with caption: Cembrero ha señalado que "El País" ha cedido a las presiones y le ha dejado vendido frente a la persecución de Rabat."

Diplomacy and the modern world - Mahrukh A Mughal, pakobserver.net: "No country can afford to keep itself aloof in this complex political world. International diplomacy is a part of international laws, governed by certain conventions, rules and principles laid down by international bodies namely by the UNO. It is an art of conducting negotiations in regional and international relations to resolve conflicts and issues through diplomacy. It also provides opportunity to develop good relations with other countries for enhancing socio-political, cultural and economic cooperation. ... There are many types of diplomacy which have been instrumental in the development of international relations. ... During the two world wars, cold war era and tension between the two opposite blocks, diplomacy became a subsidiary instrument of power politics and ideology. ... The instrument of Public diplomacy was much used by the Americans during the cold war era as the conduct of international relations."

Songwriting, Storytelling and Sex: “Week of Writing” Festival Explores Literary Issues at Drexel, May 12-16 - drexel.edu: "Participants will include Dan Arp, who conducts public diplomacy and outreach for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs, the lead U.S


agency responsible for protecting the rights of workers worldwide. Here he puts a human face on the Bureau’s work, collecting stories from the field to raise awareness of child labor, forced labor and other violations of human rights."Image from entry

Mourning Mothers Walk to Prevent Violence: 1000 Mothers to Prevent Violence - abc7news.com: "The Professional BusinessWomen of California's 25th Anniversary Conference will be a landmark event celebrating a quarter-century of standing together for gender equity! The 2014 PBWC Conference line-up of keynote speakers includes: ... Charlotte Beers -- Named 'the most powerful woman in advertising' and 'the queen of Madison Avenue,' Beers also served as United States Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs reporting to Secretary of State Colin Powell."

KLARIF, Inc., Is Pleased to Announce Their New Regional Brand Manager, Ms. Taru Salminen - intercooleronline.com: "To strengthen the KLARIF’s global brand value by having Helie Lee, the bestselling author and the wife of Ken Mok (President of 10×10 Entertainment, America’s Next Top Model), as a board member earlier this month, the Board of Directors of KLARIF, inc. is pleased to announce the appointment of Taru Salminen as the new Regional Brand Manager of the Company for supporting the development of the KLARIF's brand strategy and marketing plans by overseeing and promoting the brand in Asian countries. ... Taru has a Bachelor’s degree In East Asian studies from Helsinki University and a Bachelor’s degree in International Business and Marketing from Helsinki Business Polytechnic. Taru has worked for the Embassy of Finland in Seoul since 2007 as a cultural and administrative attache being responsible for cultural events, public diplomacy and administration including accounting, budget planning and human resource management. Taru graduated from Makgeolli school as the first foreigner in 2010 and soon after opened Tarujumak, a Finnish-Korean Makgeolli restaurant in Seoul. Taru has introduced Finnish culture to Koreans by translating numerous Finnish children’s books into Korean. She has also been a columnist for various newspapers and magazines such as the Hankyoreh, and Food and People (general magazine for the foodservice industry). In addition, she has given numerous lectures on various topics in Korean universities, public organizations and companies. Animals and nature are close to her heart. Taru is currently the PR ambassador for Korean Federation for Environmental Movement. She is also an active member of the Street Cat Protection Society. Taru was nominated Honorary Police of Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in 2012. She is a member of the foreign affairs committee of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and immigration policy committee of Korea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea. In her spare time she dances and teaches salsa and plays Latin percussion instruments."

Candidates for George Washington University Union Elections - seiu500.org: "James L. (Jim) Bullock [:] Following retirement from the State Department’s Foreign Service and a brief stint as a university administrator overseas, I returned to Washington in late 2010. The following year I took over teaching a graduate seminar in 'Media and Foreign Policy' as an adjunct at the CCAS School of Media and Public Affairs. ... Adjuncts within SMPA, often former journalists and retired diplomats, make up a large percentage of the teaching staff within our department. We bring valuable real-world experience and expertise to the classrooms. Many, like me, regularly participate in university and department events, including in support of SMPA’s working relationship with the Public Diplomacy Council, a professional association to which I belong."

Mirza’s Curriculum Résumé - Jessica Daniels, tufts.edu: "Mirza Ramic (MALD, 2014) ... My last semester has featured a combination of requirements and electives. Another business course to solidify my understanding of innovation and new ventures; a course on U.S. public diplomacy to expand my familiarity with communication in the public sector."

(Not just) another BRICS in the wall - Michael Pearl-Teplitsky, jpost.com: "The writer is a lawyer and a public diplomacy specialist, who holds a master’s degree in international relations and a bachelors of law degree from the University of Haifa. He formerly headed the University of Haifa Students Union as Vice Chairman and C.E.O."

Russia's soft power shouldn't add up to propaganda - Pavel Koshkin, Ksenia Smertina, russia-direct.org: "Konstantin Kosachev, the head of Russia’s public diplomacy agency, talks about the impact of the Ukrainian crisis on Russia's ability to project 'soft power' abroad as well as Moscow’s efforts to change the world’s perceptions of Russia."

US Embassy and Consulate General Jobs: 5 Positions - jobsid.co: "The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta is seeking an individual for the position of Cultural Affairs Assistant (@america Program) in the Public Affairs Section ... The U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya is seeking an individual for the position of Cultural Affairs Assistant in the Public Affairs Section."

Obituary Notice: Frank S. Ruddy, Ambassador and former USIA Deputy General Counsel - LJB, via email: "Francis Stephen Ruddy passed away on May 7, 2014. He was born in Jackson Heights, Queens in 1937. Mr. Ruddy worked all over the world, particularly in Africa, where he was the U.S. ambassador to Equatorial Guinea. He helped direct American aid efforts in Africa through his work in the State Department and as Assistant Administrator for Africa at USAID. He also served twice as Deputy General Counsel of the U.S. Information Agency and as General Counsel for the Department of Energy. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps."

RELATED ITEMS

5 Misconceptions about Being a Diplomat - scoopempire.com: There are many misconceptions about being a diplomat, here are five of them: 1. It’s One Job. 2. That It Involves Lying 3. That It Is a Safe Job 4. Diplomatic Immunity


5. Oh So Witty. Image from entry

The Social Network Of Foreign Ministries - digdipblog.com: "In order to learn if foreign ministries do indeed follow each other on twitter, I compiled a sample of 70 countries and analyzed which ministries follow their peers. The result of this analysis was a social network of foreign ministries spanning the globe. Once I had built the network, I was able to answer the most important regarding social networks- who is the most popular kid in the class? Which ministry has the most followers?
The data I had gathered also enabled me to answer two additional questions- which ministries are devout followers of other ministries and, perhaps most importantly, which ministries serve as import crossroads of information within this particular social network." Image from entry

Qaeda Affiliate Steps [in Yemen] Up Video Propaganda Push - New York Times [subscription]

Nearly 21,000 Vietnamese Students in the U.S.! - markashwill.com: SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) came online in 2003 to track and monitor the status and activities of nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors who enter the U.S. This web-based system collects real-time information on these two groups, plus approved schools and program sponsors. SEVIS by the Numbers (PDF download) is a statistical summary report produced using data compiled from SEVIS.


The quarterly review below is based on information retrieved on 1 April 2014. The last update was on 15 January 2014. Since January 2014 the total number of SEVIS records for active nonimmigrant students, exchange visitors and their dependents has increased by 2.68%, from 1,315,528 to 1,350,746. Not surprisingly, 29% of all nonimmigrant students are from China, followed by 11% from India. In fact, 85% of all F & M students in the U.S. hail from Asia. Image from entry

Notarization: The Trojan Horse Approach to Gaining Credibility for a Diploma Mill Diploma - markashwill.com: The use of fake educational credentials is a clear-cut example of corruption.

Mind your language: N Korea’s self-defeating propaganda - Simon Mundy, blogs.ft.com: North Korea’s recent slurs against the presidents of the US and South Korea exemplify a high-pitched, extravagant and often venomous propaganda style unmatched by any other nation – as well as the inherent contradictions and hypocrisy within much Pyongyang propaganda. Despite the country’s well-documented human rights abuses, North Korea's state media has sought to promote a message of opposition to discrimination. Two weeks ago it published a report attacking racism and other problems in the US, which it described as “the world’s worst human rights abuser”. In March it gave extensive coverage to International Women’s Day, trumpeting the rights accorded North Korean women and highlighting complaints about sexism in South Korea.  All this sits awkwardly with recent, repeated descriptions of US President Barack Obama as a “monkey” and of South Korean President Park Geun-hye as a “prostitute” – among other racist and sexist insults.

Confessions Of North Korea's Top Propaganda Poet - Nathan A. Thompson, businessinsider.com: As spin-doctoring goes, Jang Jin Sung had one of the world’s hardest jobs. His mandate: breathing beauty into the affairs of a ruthless despot. He was the personal poet laureate to Kim Jong Il, who ruled North Korea until his death in 2011. Mr. Jang lived large as a member of North Korea’s inner circle. But the job was risky. He defected in 2004, after a minor slip-up left him threatened with execution. He spent a year on the run in China before finding safety in South Korea. These days he is an outspoken critic of the North Korean regime and of the international community’s efforts to contain the rogue state.


But the job was risky. He defected in 2004, after a minor slip-up left him threatened with execution. These days he is an outspoken critic of the North Korean regime and of the international community’s efforts to contain the rogue state. Image from entry, with caption: Former North Korean poet Jang Jin-sung

PLO Propaganda Posters and Films Get London Exhibition - Sarah Cascone, news.artnet.com:  Posters, films, and other materials produced by artists in the Palestine Liberation Organization Information Department’s Beirut offices


during the 1970s are the subject of a new exhibition opening in London, reports the Guardian.  “The World Is With Us: Global Film and Poster Art from the Palestinian Revolution, 1968-1980″ has been curated by the Palestine Film Foundation. The little-recognized artistic output of the pan-Arab movement has long been overshadowed by the fighting and violence that accompanied it. In addition to training fighters and waging battles, the PLO operated schools and cultural programs, funding filmmakers and distributing propaganda posters. Image from entry

When Propaganda Meets Social Media - Lizabeth Paulat, truth-out.org: You can never know who is behind the social media comment, who is behind the tweet, and who they are truly working for.

How the US Propaganda System Works - Lawrence Davidson, consortiumnews.com: Americans are told that other governments practice censorship and propaganda, but not their own. Yet, the reality is quite different with many reasonable viewpoints marginalized and deceptive spin put on much that comes from officialdom.

Propaganda and Sports in America - Evan F. Moore, huffingtonpost.com: Even though society tells that education is much more important than sports, we are taught the opposite. We live in a day and age where we can name the starting lineup of the Chicago Bulls more so than we can name our senators, congressmen or alderman. Jacques Ellul's definition of propaganda is in line with what the aforementioned groups involved with athletics want to achieve: "Propaganda is a set of methods employed by an organized group that wants to bring about an active or passive participation in its actions of a mass of individuals, psychologically unified through psychological manipulation and incorporated in an organization."

Music, Film And Propaganda: Interview With Hraff Event Curator, Zak Hepburn - rightnow.org.au:  Last week on Right Now Radio, we spoke to Zak Hepburn, curator of Hindsight: Death to the Fascist Vultures - a Human Rights Arts and Film Festival music and film event featuring nine short animated propaganda films presented in the style of a Russian Speakeasy. You can listen to the interview online in the Right Now Radio podcast (which also featured HRAFF Director Ella McNeill), or read the transcript of our chat with Zak below.  Right Now: You created Hindsight: Death to the Fascist Vultures - it’s described on the program as an afternoon of film and music that will transport you to a Russian Speakeasy. Please explain, it sounds great!


Zak Hepburn: Get your time travel hats on! Basically, I’ve always been fascinated with sort of interstitial clips and kind of footage in that respect and that led me to propaganda films. And one of the strange caveats of propaganda cinema in a way is the animated propaganda film. And that was very uniquely Russian in many ways. There was an animation studio called Sonzalpuss Animation Studio and it’s just a real kind of powerhouse of these inventive little nuggets of propaganda which are so highly stylised and incredibly kind of hallucinogenic in some ways. There’s one called ‘Shooting Range’, which is from 1979 and it deals with a capitalist young man who is set forth into a human shooting range, and basically he is used as a product of his own mercy and whims. It’s just a really narrow field that no-one’s ever really looked at on the big screen. And these things were lost for many years – obviously they were produced under different kinds of governments and they’ve gone through different rights holders so it’s kind of this time capsule of films that no-one’s really ever gone through and presented to the public. And that was something that we were really interested in doing with this program – presenting them in a new light for viewers to look at for the kind of animation technique that they have, beyond the time that they were produced. And particularly to see them on the big screen, which you very rarely can do these days.

Stalin's Propaganda Push Marched In Spanish Civil War - Monica Showalter, news.investors.com: In Spain's momentous Civil War, Soviet propaganda reached new heights as Joseph Stalin and his minions learned it doesn't take an army to win a war in the long term, just an effective shift in the narrative. It's a lesson still being felt in two hemispheres. Probably the most decisive victory for the Comintern, the USSR's international-operations arm charged with spreading revolution, came during the 1936-39 war between Spaniards loyal to the democratically elected Spanish Republic and a rebel group led by Gen. Francisco Franco.

World War I propaganda at Cantigny Park - Quan Truong, chicagotribune.com: It's a poster almost everyone will recognize. Uncle Sam, in top hat and jacket, beckons with a distinct stare and finger point, declaring "I Want You." The 1917 poster produced during World War I, then known as the Great War, is perhaps the most well-known piece of U.S. government propaganda, but certainly not the only one. A special exhibit at The First Division Museum at Cantigny Park will feature a collection of 37 posters, along with some artifacts, related to the government's and patriotic organizations' advertisements during the war. "WE NEED YOU! Propaganda of The Great War," opens Saturday and runs through Nov. 2."It's showing propaganda was used to sort of mobilize the entire country as opposed to just trying to build up the military," said Teri Bianchi, exhibits manager for the museum. Most exhibits have focused more on the military aspects of war, Bianchi said, but this one will be a new perspective that shows more of the home front. "It's the first time you have a huge propaganda effort," she said. "Propaganda has always existed in some form, but by the time you get to World War I, you have the rise in mass communication and a much more concentrated effort to create the Committee for Public Information that was basically the propaganda wing of the U.S. government."

IMAGE


--Via a Facebook friend

ONE MORE IMAGE


--American troops using a newly-developed acoustic locator, mounted on a wheeled platform. The large horns amplified distant sounds, monitored through headphones worn by a crew member, who could direct the platform to move and pinpoint distant enemy aircraft. Development of passive acoustic location accelerated during World War I, later surpassed by the development of radar in the 1940s. (National Archives); from; via Facebook
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The Most Commonly Spoken Language in Each State Besides English and Spanish - Note for a Lecture, "E Pluribus Unum? What Keeps the United States United"

May 14, 2014, 5:35 am
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