August 14

“'Is it ethical to show the propaganda works of a dictatorial regime?' a correspondent from the former East bloc asked the exhibition’s curator, Bettina M. Busse, at a press preview on May 18. Under the glare of camera lights, Ms. Busse told Czech Television: 'There seems to be a misunderstanding of the topic. We’re concerned with culture.'”

--Exchange regarding a sprawling exhibition of propagandistic North Korean artworks in Vienna; cited in Michael Z. Wise, "Sunny Scenes, Direct From Pyongyang," New York Times; image cannot be downloaded from article but from

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

International broadcasters: Waves in the web - Western state-backed news outfits are struggling to keep their influence in the developing world - The Economist: "The cold war was the state-backed broadcasters’ heyday, with big budgets for propaganda wars about the virtues and vices of capitalism and communism. Powerful short-wave transmissions required costly kit; getting hold of the frequencies required international arm-twisting. It was a game for big and rich countries only. … The old international broadcasters have the resources to deal with censorship: the cocktail of satellite, short-wave, internet and local FM broadcasts offers a powerful mix of solutions. If reporters are banned from a country, big outfits can turn to clandestine or surrogate newsgathering.

A bigger problem for them is competition. Since 2006 China, France, Iran, Japan and Qatar have launched English-language TV news channels. China has committed $7 billion to international news. That is more than 15 times the annual budget of the BBC World Service. … The competition comes from little battalions too, thanks to the explosive growth of broadcasting outlets in poor countries, particularly in Africa. … Voice of America’s reach in Russia has declined as it disappeared from the radio, says Dan Austin, who runs the service. Internet audiences (at least so far) are busier and more hurried: they don’t lean back and enjoy the broadcast, but hunch forward, eager to click on the next link." See also. Image from article

China's Deficit in American Studies‎ - Terry Lautz, Chronicle of Higher Education: "American institutions, both public and private, are inadequately prepared to respond to changing Chinese imperatives for in-depth learning about the United States. There are several reasons. First, Americans often take their own culture for granted, assuming that U.S. interests and values are widely known and easily accessible. Second, American studies as practiced in the United States is an eclectic, interdisciplinary field that does not always match up well with Chinese academic disciplines. Third, there is a widespread perception that the U.S. government is responsible for explaining America to the world. But with limited resources, concerns about security, and a focus on the Muslim world, the consensus is that U.S. public diplomacy is not getting the job done. ... Despite all of those problems, there is a real opportunity for Chinese and Americans to work together. At a time when scholars in China are ready to move beyond the status quo, many American-studies scholars in the United States have embraced a global view of American history, politics, economics, and culture. They are becoming more aware of important research outside the United States, informing a transnational perspective. This is therefore an excellent time for Americans to both strengthen the study of the United States in China and promote the internationalization of American studies back home."

Santos–Chávez Santa Marta Summit: A Moment of Promise and Peril in the Americas - Ray Walser, Heritage.org: "The Obama Administration ... lacks any appreciable strategy for applying pressure on Chávez to cease support for terrorism.

It demonstrates no consistent public diplomacy strategy and largely minimizes the threat posed by Chávez’s backing for terrorist groups." Image from

Battle over Ricciardone's nomination to Turkey post - İlhan Tanir, Hurriyet Daily News: "Following the first exclusively Turkey hearing at the House of Representative's Foreign Relations Committee just a couple of weeks ago, which came shortly after Francis Ricciardone’s Senate confirmation meeting to be the next U.S. ambassador to Turkey, Ricciardone’s nominations for the Ankara post was blocked last week before it reached a full Senate floor vote . ... Steven Cook, an expert on Turkish politics on the Council on Foreign Relations, made some waves last month when he talked about Ricciardone’s past service in Cairo as ambassador and how his drawing near to the Egyptian regime from the whole Bush freedom agenda put him in an awkward position. Cook stated that 'Ricciardone is someone who is in high politics and best in broader public diplomacy' and the right guy for the job. 'The signals from the State Department as of last Friday,' he said, make him 'hopeful that the issue will be resolved when Congress comes back.'"

Enlightenment Through Beauty - Virginia Shore, DipNote: "As India prepares to celebrate its independence this weekend, it's worth noting the work of Subhanker Banerjee.

A native of Kolkata, Banerjee's tireless devotion to highlighting the effects of climate change have taken him around the world. His photographs show the beauty of nature and its inherent vulnerability. The Art in Embassies permanent collection for the U.S. consulate facility in Mumbai will soon include three of Banarjee's photographs." Image from article

US Marines deployed in flood-hit areas - Maqbool Malik, The Nation: "The latest US humanitarian assistance and additional military support to Pakistan in tackling massive floods is largely aimed at keeping the Armed Forces as well as political leadership focused on war against terror. Well-placed sources informed The Nation on Friday that US had lately embarked on its public diplomacy in an effort to win the hearts of Pakistanis in order to solicit their crucial support to the US-led war against terror. Sources were of the view that the US moves ostensibly suggested that it wanted the Pakistani political and military leaderships not to shift their focus from the war against terror. However, these notions have been denied both by the US Embassy as well as Pakistan Army, saying the US efforts were clearly directed towards providing maximum relief to the flood-affected population of Pakistan." Image from

Money for Something: International aid is not a form of charity. Nor is it analogous to welfare payments – Polaris: "The Indian government, in fact, today announced an offer to Pakistan of $5 million 'for provision of relief material' for flood victims, an announcement that has been picked up in the Pakistani press. That is, according to one report at least, more than three times as much as Pakistan’s all-weather friend China, and matches Kuwait, the top donor among Islamic nations. ... The Indian government’s annual budget is $237 billion.

A one-time package of $5 million—or even $10 million—is, by comparison, peanuts, and unlikely to take away from the billions being spent to support the poor and disadvantaged within India. ... The most compelling criticism offered was that 'the help will neither be acknowledged or reciprocated,' and—in a related vein, from another reader—that it would be ineffective as 'the average Pakistani will not even know we sent aid.' This has less to do with the aid itself, than the public diplomacy initiatives that accompany it. India’s prior efforts, in 2005, were relatively minor and accompanied by little fanfare. Hopefully this time New Delhi will play its cards better. Another good insight was that presence on the ground is far more effective than money dispersed from afar. This is very true. But unfortunately, an Indian grassroots presence is not an option." Image from

No toy for you! - Rural South Texas Life: "WWII could surely be avoided if enough people were to sit down and write 'Dear Adolf,' pouring their hearts into it. The takeover in Tibet might never have happened if more people would write 'Dear Mao!' on their stationeries. Afghanistan might be at peace if in 1979 more people of good will had sent letters to Moscow addressed to 'Dear Leonid!' In today's world, public diplomacy dictates that all of us sit down and write 'Dear Mahmoud!'"

Nation Branding: a one man show? - Hanneke Verhelst, elections.fleishmanhillard.com: NY400: Dutch Public Diplomacy: "Those living in New York City might have seen the awkward sight in downtown Manhattan in September 2009: a little Dutch Village including (of course!) a windmill right at the Bowling Green. ‘New Amsterdam’, as the village was named, was part of a large scale public diplomacy campaign of the Dutch government to celebrate that 400 years ago the Dutch founded New York City. For several weeks, not too far from Ground Zero,


the Dutch staged an extensive $10 million dollars campaign to promote the Netherlands among Americans as a liberal and tolerant country. The Dutch like New Yorkers to believe that the open-minded spirit of NYC today finds its origins in the liberal attitudes of the Dutch that founded New Amsterdam in 1609. What a difference a year makes … . Only one year after the Dutch NY400 festivities, on September 11, 2010 the New Yorkers will be presented a image of the Netherlands that opposite to the open-minded and liberal sp[i]rit image portrayed in 2009. Geert Wilders, the ultranationalist Dutch politician who has suggested banning the Koran as hate speech, is speaking at Ground Zero on 9/11, as part of a rally against the Islamic community center being built nearby." Image from

Taiwan's young reps here again - Solomon Star: "Six members of the 2010 International Youth Ambassador Exchange Program, led by Chih-Yi Li from the Kaohsiung Medical University (KMU), arrived here [Solomon Islands] yesterday for a two week of interaction with local youths. This youth-oriented public diplomacy was initiated by Taiwanese President Ma Ying-Jeou last year. It aims to promote cultural understanding, academic development, youth exchanges, raising awareness of public health and environmental protection between the young people of two nations."

Soft Power: Gastro-diplomacy – Jonathan, blog.rti.org.tw: "Taiwan is the latest in a series of countries to launch a ‘gastro-diplomacy’ campaign, which means using food to spread awareness of culture.

The drive seeks to promote understanding of Taiwanese culture via such local cuisine as stinky tofu and sea-salt lattes. To learn more about gastro-diplomacy, I spoke to Mr. Paul Rockower, a research fellow at the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy currently investigating Taiwan’s public diplomacy. Check out our interview on this week’s ‘Soft Power.’" Image from

China Rattles It’s [sic] Megaphone - nationalspacestudiescenter: "China seems to be lacking in its public diplomacy efforts. If you want some solid proof, just go to China Daily and read the article by Admiral Yang Yi called Cold War Mindset Harms Peace. … China’s political leadership would be well served by muzzling the sort of vacuous influence-ops effort floated by Yang and to rather start viewing itself as a responsible world-player. A responsible world-player can influence its neighbors (think North Korea) for the better with the effect of enhanced regional stability."

Right-wing media attack program Bush admin felt was useful in fighting terrorism – mediamatters for America: “In recent days, right-wing media have attacked Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf's upcoming State Department trip to the Middle East to 'discuss Muslim life in America and religious tolerance.'

However, Rauf began participating in the outreach program during the Bush administration, which considered this kind of outreach as useful ‘[i]n the struggle against violent extremists.’” Article provides comprehensive media coverage of this public-diplomacy related issue. Image from

The international broadcasting of the Detroit International Jazz Festival – Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting

Crack Open the Wine! - FSO Wannabe: "My journey to, hopefully, a career in the Foreign Service: So the last two people from my OA study session found out they have FINALLY made it on to the register! It only took 6+ months. They are both Public Diplomacy cone, so they are joining an already too long register. Luckily, one has a good chance of getting the call for October. The other needs to brush up his Arabic for the extra points. I am so happy for our group. Everyone passed, and now everyone is on the register. Congratulations, guys!"

RELATED ITEMS

China Mobile search engine eyes market share - Kathrin Hille, Financial Times: Xinhua, China’s official news agency, and China Mobile, China’s largest mobile telecoms operator, are setting up a mobile search company together, the two state groups said on Thursday. The move comes amid upheaval in the Chinese online search market as other players attempt to grab market share following Google’s partial exit from the market this year in a dispute with the government over censorship. Image

from

Re-branding China Requires Honesty, Not Propaganda – C. Custer, chinageeks.org: It might seem paradoxical that being more honest about flaws will make people more likely to like China, but it makes sense. In interpersonal relationships, people who present themselves publicly as perfect are disliked; they are called arrogant and mocked behind their backs. When they fail, bystanders rejoice. This is essentially what is happening to China now.

North Korean refugees head for home - Andrei Lankov, Asia Times: The North Korean regime follows a lenient policy towards returning refugees. They are allowed to settle down in their native towns and villages, and if they make a sufficient donation (reportedly, a few tens of thousand dollars) they can even be granted good positions and privileges. They are often used for propaganda, telling horror stories about life in the capitalist hell down south. Professional propaganda mongers help them to prepare such stories in which the personal experiences of the returnees (bitter, to be sure) are liberally mixed with necessary inventions. Via

'Azerbaijan must not yield to Armenian propaganda'‎ - News.Az: Ankara does not confirm or refute the information spread by Armenians that Turkey will open borders with Armenia within NATO trainings. However, the long-term opening of borders is possible only after the restoration of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, therefore, Azerbaijan cannot yield to Armenian propaganda.

The Poet and the State: Should poetry be propaganda? - Carolinemarycrew.wordpress.com: "So, should the poet contribute to a nation’s brand? Well, to me that sounds like propaganda.

Gently worded, but still propaganda. Call me old-fashioned, but I still like to think that the poet’s role is to tell truth of one form or another." Image from article