RE-THINKING PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

TEN LESSONS FROM ITS HISTORY

Nick Cull University of Southern California

USIA
Founded by Eisenhower in 1953 Built from State, Marshall Plan & OWI Included Film, Radio, TV & Publications Embassy information centers & libraries Achievements astonishing Cold War won FOR the free market but NOT won BY

the free market media Consolidated back into State in 1999 Lost its academic support structure

1: The Practices are OLD

in Ancient Greece Advocacy in the Roman Republic Cultural Diplomacy in Medieval Germany State Sponsored News as old as War Paint Psychological Consistent Lessons: Warfare I. The power of PD as a multiplier II. The importance of credibility III. The danger of the unintended consequence IV. Need for analysis & supply-side study

2. The Term in NEW

Coined 1965 by Edmund Gullion, Embraced by USIA Better than

Propaganda or Information

Argument for expansion Argument for professional respect NOT used elsewhere till 1990s NEW PD goes beyond govt. to include international

CULTURAL RELATIONS MOVING beyond the past

3. The US is Sceptical
Feared like a standing army Justified only in emergency US prefers commerce/philanthropy LACKS a major constituency PLENTY of natural rivals Often VENUE for domestic struggles. NEEDED its Advisory Commission Needs advocates today

4. The Cold War was Anomalous

US PD born of WWII & New Deal liberalism KEY FACTOR threat of Communism NEVER fully accepted on Hill Actually a dimension rather than a crisis tool US PD hostage to the end of Cold War Beware of arguments based on War on Terror Second Chance to build on the best practice Opportunity to get it RIGHT

5. Its Elements Are Contradictory

Advocacy, Culture, & News agendas clash Field & Washington can clash Contradictory agendas guarantee tensions Tensions guarantee external spill over into press VOA divided Journo v. Lang. v. FSO v. Admin. News, Advocacy & Culture can harm each other Answer = firewalls (like VOA charter) Needs advocacy for

elements as well as whole

6. It is very Leader Sensitive

Newcomer to bureaucratic hierarchy Responsibilities tread on toes Starts from position of weakness Tendency to attract criticism Need a special sort of leader Need direct link to White House NEED C. D. Jackson or Charles Z. Wick HAVE USoS w/o management capacity NEED intervention at campaign level

7. It is NOT separate from Foreign Policy

NOT a magic bullet to move the needle CANT save a flawed policy CANT dodge the audiences agenda MUST have in-put UP the policy chain NEEDS a mandated seat on NSC OTHERWISE cleaning-up after the parade NEEDS to be figured into policy equation

8. BUT PD is distinct
Needs career path & valued staff Needs nurture of special & diverse skills Original staff recruited mid career Needs bank of experience Needs attention to parallel practices Needs professional career development Needs scholarly analysis and advocacy Needs restored role of Academic support

9. Not all messages are intended

Excellent work can come from small things Excellent work can be undone by bad policy Beware of the unintended consequence Foreign Students need especial care Showing AND Telling (case of Watergate) Need for sustained analysis Need to think outside the box Watch for missed opportunities

10. There must be mutuality

Goal = better relationship Need BOTH sides speaking Need BOTH sides respectful Need BOTH open to being changed West needs to LEARN to listen Need PD from THEM to US Need develop THEIR PD Obvious role for USCs Center

The Present Crisis

Danger of short term-ism Inadequate structure @ State Under investment & trade offs Spill-over of security concerns Misapplication of lessons of the past Iraq 2005 is not Germany or Japan, 1946 Middle East 2005 is not Eastern Europe, 1988 Can always reach for a new generation Potential of expanded NED

The Future
New competitors New alliances New opportunities New players New methods New ways of living China Europe Iran NGOs Internet etc Ampersands

In this great future, you cant forget your past Value in studying the history of PD