That depends on definitions, of course. If we think of propaganda as simply political mass persuasion, I’d say that the symbols surrounding a nation state are the most common form—the flags, images on currency, in architecture and state-associated publications, which build up a total ideological universe around a citizen. You will see from this...
Prior to starting my Master in Public Diplomacy (MPD) degree at USC, I explored ways in which I could help women reconnect with their ancestral heritage while enhancing their professional skills. Through various conversations with multiple women at different stages in their careers, an idea gave light to a program about preserving cultural heritage, which I plan to launch this summer.
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The global refugee crisis is heading the news for the fifth straight year. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reports that nearly 69 million people have been forcibly displaced due to war, violence and persecution. Over the past few years, there have been countless international efforts to address the refugee crisis, both by state and non-state actors, ranging from humanitarian relief...
Despite President Trump’s self-congratulatory pronouncements about the demise of the Islamic State (IS), the terrorist organization is still very much alive. It has lost its physical caliphate in Iraq and Syria, but it is displaying military muscle elsewhere. In addition to the continuing threat from IS, other terrorist organizations continue to enhance their tactics and resources.
As...
The December inauguration of Andrés Manuel López Obrado (AMLO) as Mexico’s 58th president creates a tremendous opportunity in U.S.-Mexico relations. AMLO and President Trump have established a surprisingly cordial relationship that can serve as the foundation for better binational ties. But this improved landscape is still encumbered by the negative perceptions the two countries have of one...
In my previous CPD Blog article, “Why ‘Countering’ Violent Extremism Doesn’t Work,” I deemed contemporary militarized efforts seeking to curb the recruitment, radicalization and mobilization of violent extremists as a flawed approach to countering violent extremism (CVE).
Whereas many...
Public diplomacy encompasses a range of ways for nations to engage with their foreign publics in search of improved understanding and desired relationships. It creates soft power, an indispensable currency in contemporary global affairs.
But profound and influential societal changes are disrupting public diplomacy. As the practice is essentially a set of communication-centric...
Earlier last month, an important encounter of progressive minds took place in Burlington, Vermont. The Sanders Institute Gathering convened 250 leaders from across the globe to sit down and envision a transnational agenda of progressive solutions for the critical issues facing humanity—environmental and socioeconomic challenges that require...