The developing concept of Public Diplomacy

​





Of the three different diplomacies discussed in this blog, Public Diplomacy is the most established concept.  Not only was conceptualized first, as the term was created in 1965 by a U.S Diplomat. It also has one Journal (Place Branding and Public Diplomacy)[i], and there are a few graduate degree programs offered by U.S universities (Center for Public Diplomacy at the University of Southern California and Syracuse University in New York) and several short course offered by other educational institutions.
 
There is also an ever-growing body of work that ranges from theoretical analysis to practitioners´ tales and even different groups and associations. These development have not yet happened in the Consular Diplomacy and Gastrodiplomacy fields of study.
 
But what is Public Diplomacy?
 
As in any developing field of study, there is a wide range of ideas of what consists of Public Diplomacy.
 
But let´s start with the beginning.
 
According to Nicholas J. Cull in “Public Diplomacy” before Gullion: The evolution of a phrase” Edmund Gullion, an experienced U.S. diplomat and dean of the oldest graduate school focused on international affairs used "public diplomacy" for the first time in 1965. 
 
The idea is that if diplomats work with the counterparts (mostly diplomats and other government officials) of the host Foreign Affairs Ministry and some other government authorities, this is considered Diplomacy. But if the same diplomats are engaging directly with the host-country citizens, not just government officials, with a purpose, then this is called Public Diplomacy.
 
An essential element is that the involvement has to have a purpose or a goal, otherwise I think, is a different kind of activity rather than Public Diplomacy. Everywhere in the Public Diplomacy literature, you will find that the diplomats want to win the “hearts and mind” of the people of the host country, but I said, with a reason!
 
The Center for Public Diplomacy at the University of Southern California has a mind-boggling amount of resources, from blog posts to papers and from special reports to the Public Diplomacy magazine. But most importantly, the Center has a section about the definition of Public Diplomacy that is easy to understand, particularly if you are new to the topic. I recommend reading it before jumping in the battle of the concept.
 
Later on, I will work on bringing some of the different conceptualization of Public Diplomacy, but the next post will be about Consular Diplomacy.
 
For more information about Public Diplomacy, please visit the section of Interesting Links 


[i] Exchange The Journal of Public Diplomacy was a magazine run by graduate students at Syracuse University, but it seems that stopped publishing, as the last issue is from 2014.


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

---