Blog about Consular and Public diplomacies

Level Up at AMEI´s 37th Convention: Insights and Connections in Chihuahua

10/26/2024

A couple of weeks ago, I had the good fortune to be able to attend the 37th Annual Convention of the Mexican International Studies Association (AMEI Asociación Mexicana de Estudios Internacionales) that took place in the northern city of Chihuahua, Mexico. This was my second AMEI convention, as I participated in the previous one in Merida and had a fantastic time.

This time around, I had the opportunity to present two papers. The first was about the challenges of gastrodiplomacy from a local perspective, which will be a chapter in the upcoming handbook on gastronomic diplomacy. My second paper centered on public diplomacy’s challenges in the artificial intelligence era, mainly social media algorithms and disinformation. Fortunately, there are ways to overcome them and continue to work on public diplomacy strategies in the AI era.

One of the strengths of AMEI’s convention is the robust presence and participation of undergraduate students, which gives the whole environment a vibrant vibe. Their questions and interactions were terrific, and I learned a lot from them. As I have mentioned, attending a convention for a second time is much better than the first one, as you know what to expect and understand its dynamics and culture.

Now, I will share some of the convention’s highlights:

Confirmation of the Republic of Korea’s soft power in Mexico
Creating a new committee focusing on international communication and public and cultural diplomacy.
Keynote lecture on Reputational Security by the great Nicholas Cull.

Confirmation of the Republic of Korea’s soft power in Mexico

The Republic of Korea was the invited country, and it was shocking to see how many papers, panels, round tables, and other activities were organized around it. This reflects the attractiveness of its popular culture among young people worldwide, but more importantly, the country’s public diplomacy strategy. I am almost certain that no other middle-power country is being studied in Mexico as much as Korea (outside the big powers).

South Korea has become a beacon of PD, showcasing the effectiveness of a coordinated approach. The enactment of the 2016 Public Diplomacy Act and its ever-growing Korean wave, Hallyu, is just a fraction of its endeavors to win the hearts and minds of audiences overseas.

A few examples of Korea’s PD strategy in Mexico are:

The bachelor’s degree that the Universidad of Nayarit offers in Korean studies
There is an ever-growing number of Korean restaurants and cosmetic shops nationwide.
The establishment of the Circulo Mexicano de Estudios Coreanos in 2015.
The tremendous Mexican fandom of K-pop and Korean popular culture.

Many do not know that some Koreans migrated to Mexico at the beginning of the 20th century, and there is a museum about it in Merida, Yucatan.

I am unsure if this is the first time there was an invited country to AMEI’s convention, but it was a total hit. I hope the AMEI leadership continues to designate invited countries.

Creation of AMEI’s new committee on international communication and public and cultural diplomacy.

After a few months of hard work, the first official meeting of the Committee of International Communication and Public and Cultural Diplomacy took place during the convention. It was amazing to see a lot of scholars participating in the meeting, including the Canadian leadership of the North American Cultural Diplomacy Initiative.

The coordinator, Dr. Tania Gómez Zapata, worked hard to fulfill all the requirements for creating the committee and organizing its first meeting.

The convention was the perfect launch, as the winner of AMEI’s best book award was granted to Cesar Villanueva for his most recent work titled Sombreros, Frida y Boom: Alteridades, Representaciones e Imágenes de México en el Mundo (2007-2012).

Besides, Nicholas Cull gave the committee’s keynote lecture on Reputational Security (more on that in the following topic)

The committee is now working on its 2025 program, so follow the committee to learn about its activities.

Keynote lecture on Reputational Security by Nicholas Cull.

We were honored to have Nicholas Cull at the convention, especially as a keynote speaker. He presented his work on Reputational Security, an intriguing concept that could replace Soft Power as the theoretical base of public diplomacy. His main argument is that soft power does not convey the concerns of most countries and that the reputation of a nation is not only essential to attract tourists and investments but, most importantly, to gain the support of the international community when its security is threatened. By elevating the priority of public diplomacy to a national security concern, there will be more investment in its implementation. Also, it expands the idea about the importance of the collectiveness of like-minded countries, moving beyond the individual nation.

You can watch a November 5, 2024, presentation by the Center on Public Diplomacy about the topic here.

Conclusion

Overall, AMEI’s 37th convention was a great success. I am looking forward to the 38th meeting that will take place in Cancun from October 15 to 17, 2025.

I was able to meet with people I usually encounter at ISA conventions in the United States, so having a “home” in Mexico with the new committee was a significant step in the study of international communication and public and cultural diplomacy.

Being a member of a scholarly association is key to the field’s and personal development, so I encourage all people interested in these topics to join AMEI and the committee. We are especially looking for scholars and students across Mexico.

DISCLAIMER: All views expressed on this blog are those of the author and do not represent the opinions of any other authority, agency, organization, employer, or company

Rodrigo Márquez Lartigue

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