Center for Strategic Communication

Reconsidering Theories of Public Diplomacy, Part I

As the International Studies Association conference approaches, my attention is focused again on the academic understanding of public diplomacy – as there will be numerous panels on this subject. As I said years ago, there are no theories of public diplomacy. There...

Intermap Returns

It’s been some time since Intermap has been active as a blog site. The site is now declared officially “active” once again. It is my intention to use the blog as an outlet for ideas pertaining to research projects as well as a venue for responding to news pertaining...

Strengthening IIP: Providing Content that Matters

On Tuesday, February 1, 2011 I had the privilege of speaking to Dawn McCall, the Director for the Bureau of International Information Programs (or IIP) at the US Department of State. IIP along with Education and Cultural Affairs (or ECA) comprise the direct reports to...

Critical Implications of Compliance and Understanding

I just read Robin Brown’s thoughtful commentary on the UT-Austin PD-MAP assessment report and tool. In my previous take, I was focused primarily on the utility of the instrument: the methodological implications for how it can be used by policy-makers and as a...

Theoretically Speaking

My previous post on the US Adivsory Commission’s “PD-MAP” assessment too was admittedly long, drawing in a number of tangental thoughts and complaints regarding the study of public diplomacy. I guess I’ve got a lot of pent up ideas I wanted to...