CPD/APDS Blog- Finding Support for the Confucius Institutes by Chen Chen 4.28.10

FINDING SUPPORT FOR THE CONFUCIUS INSTITUTES
APR 28, 2010Posted by APDS Bloggers



APDS Blogger: Chen Chen

China’s Confucius Institutes have become a public diplomacy phenomenon. Many public diplomacy researchers have been impressed by the rapid spread of Confucius Institutes around the world. In the United States alone, more than 60 Confucius Institutes have been established since 2004. Meanwhile, around the globe, the Chinese government has opened more than 200 Confucius Institutes in over 80 countries.

Some members of the US Congress have concerns over this trend, and have suggested that the Obama administration open at least four US culture centers in China to redress the imbalance and the disparity in cultural and political influence that the Confucius Institute can bring. Confucius Institutes seem to pop up overnight around the world and have become a distinct symbol of “China Rising.”

Ironically, among the few countries left without a Confucius Institute, one nation stands out: China, the homeland of Confucius.

In fact, the Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban), the organizer of the Confucius Institute, has established many Chinese language-teaching institutes in Mainland China that are similar to Confucius Institute. Many universities in China also offer courses in Chinese instruction. But none of them use the name "Confucius" to promote their programs. This is not a coincidence. The phenomenon actually reflects the Chinese government’s usual pattern when carrying out practices of cultural diplomacy.

Chinese cultural diplomatic activities pay close attention to the views of foreign public, but rarely consider the views of their own people on the subject. For example, the figure Confucius, the Peking Opera, and the art of Kung Fu, symbols of Chinese culture in the eyes of foreign public, in fact are not popular in China's mainstream culture.

More specifically, although the Chinese government is using Confucius to promote Chinese culture, the Chinese public often makes fun of the notion of Confucianism. Recently, a film describing Confucius's life ended up being a big flop at the box office. Although many big movie stars acted in the film,people were still not attracted to the movie. This was in part because Chinese people tend to feel that the theme of the movie and the thoughts of Confucius are so old-fashioned and pedantic that they do not fit into China's current social needs.

The Peking Opera also faces the same situation. On the one hand, the government regards it as China's national essence, and you can find the silhouettes of Peking Opera actors displayed in many documentaries of China. However, on the other hand, only a small number of Chinese are still listening to the Peking Opera. China's mainstream population has no interest in or even knowledge about the Peking Opera.

Both historically and in the present, all successful cases of cultural diplomacy are powered by the cooperation between the government and its people. For example, Japanese government’s manga diplomacy is strongly supported by Japan’s domestic manga enthusiasts and Japanese cartoon industry. Also, supporting the success of the United States’ basketball diplomacy is the large basketball population and American people’s great enthusiasm for basketball.

In stark contrast, when the Chinese government is vigorously promoting Confucius Institutes around the world, many Chinese rarely bother about the development of Confucius Institute. The negatives are obvious: first, foreign publics often find that the China presented in the context of governmental Cultural Diplomacy is far from the real one, and such difference always leads to doubts about the purpose of cultural diplomacy. Many would also argue that Chinese cultural diplomacy activities are nothing but political propaganda. More importantly, even though the Chinese government is willing to spend money on cultural diplomacy, without its own public’s participation and enthusiasm, such diplomacy activities cannot be kept up for long. After all, the government's power is limited, and the force of cultural diplomacy actually comes from the power of the people.

In fact, the starting point of public diplomacy is the recognition of the public’s influence on the country's foreign policy. I think public diplomacy’s “public” refers not only to foreign publics, but also the domestic population. When public diplomacy’s aim is to influence the other country’s foreign policy by engaging the foreign public, we must also take into account the domestic public’s impact on those public diplomacy activities. In other words, public diplomacy activities would be unsustainable if they cannot receive domestic backing.

Therefore, if the Chinese government wants to find the strength to sustain the Confucius Institutes, it must attract the support of its own people first.

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Chen Chen is a master’s candidate in the Public Diplomacy program at the University of Southern California. His studies focus on the public diplomacy in East Asia. He is originally from Northeast China and received his B.A. in Broadcasting Journalism from Tongji University in Shanghai. Prior to being a USC graduate student, he worked for China Central Television as a reporter in Beijing.
http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/newswire/cpdblog_detail/finding_support_for_the_confucius_institutes/

CPD/APDS Blog- Cross Cultural Encounters in Art by Regina Guzman 4.26.10

CROSS-CULTURAL ENCOUNTERS IN ART: THE FLORENTINE CODEX
APR 26, 2010Posted by APDS Bloggers
All posts by APDS Bloggers


APDS Blogger: Regina Guzmán

Art is an essential part of the culture of every nation. Through it, a nation can demonstrate the best parts of its cultural heritage and share its history and talents with foreign publics on a large scale. The Aztec Pantheon and the Art of the Empire, currently on exhibit at the Getty Villa, is the most recent example of how Mexico’s Aztec antiquities never fail to captivate U.S. audiences.

The exhibition comes at a noteworthy time, as Mexico celebrates the bicentennial of its independence and the centennial of the Mexican revolution. It is the first exhibition on the Aztec Empire to be organized in the city of Los Angeles, as well as the Getty Villa’s first venture with art fromoutside the ancient Mediterranean. Most significantly, the exhibit reveals a defining moment of cultural encounter by displaying Aztec artworks together with 16th and 17th century illustrations that showcase European interpretations of Aztec culture.

The Aztec monuments on display at the Getty Villa (most of them loans from the Museo Nacional de Antropología and the Museo del Templo Mayor in Mexico City) are masterpieces comparable to the most distinguished sculptural traditions, but the exhibit’s greatest artwork comes in the form of a three-volume pictorial manuscript known as the Florentine Codex. The Codex is an iconic chronicle of Aztec culture and history that reflects European efforts to understand the New World by drawing references from its own classical past. The Spanish conquest of the Americas coincided with the Renaissance rediscovery of classical antiquity, and as Europeans faced a culture that was profoundly unfamiliar, the Codex became a pioneering piece of work that sparked a dialogue between Mesoamerican and European civilizations.

The manuscript was commissioned nearly a half-century after Hernán Cortés’ defeat of the Aztec civilization, under the direction of Bernardino de Sahagún, a Spanish-born Franciscan friar who had traveled to México to evangelize for the Catholic Church. Sahagún, with the help of native Aztec collaborators and bicultural students from the Real Colegio in Tlatelolco (the first European school of higher learning in México), recorded the gods and goddesses of the Aztecs with over 1,500 watercolor illustrations and captions written in Nahuatl, Spanish and Latin. Most importantly, the Codex identified each deity with his or her equivalent god and goddess in the Roman pantheon, providing a clear parallel between the two great empires. The references to Greco-Roman mythology helped Spanish readers interpret the beliefs of their New World subjects and allowed Spanish missionaries to understand Aztec culture through their own history, philosophy and law.

Beneath the European attempt to understand another civilization through artwork lies the effort of the bicultural students working on the Codex to engage with Spain by narrating their Aztec heritage through classical and Christian perspectives. The Codex is therefore not only a unique case of a rare effort to spread the Christian faith through cultural understanding rather than coercion, but also a reflection of a broader cross-cultural approach to the roles of religion and art in empires.

The Florentine Codex is a great example of how art has been historically used as a neutral platform through which people connect and understand something that is foreign.

As one of the centerpieces in The Aztec Pantheon and the Art of the Empire, the Codex showcases Mexico’s rich heritage and sets the stage for continued cultural encounters. Reflecting on the exhibition as a whole, the Aztec experience at the Getty gives Mexico an enormous cultural presence in a city that is so uniquely tied to Mexico’s history. The exhibit (enhanced by the accompanying lectures and educational programming) engages publics and scholars alike in a dialogue that is needed for cultural appreciation.

For some time now, Mexico has sought greater visibility in world affairs and with its northern neighbor in particular, yet art exhibits remain a largely untapped and underestimated means for making this happen. Mexico could and should use its rich arsenal of art a lot more frequently, increasing its capacity to foster a positive national image abroad and perhaps even setting an example of the value and necessity of cross-cultural art exhibitions.

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Regina Guzmán is a first-year graduate student in the Master of Public Diplomacy program. She grew up in Mexico City and has an academic background in Art History and Media Studies. Her regional focus in PD has been Mexico, with particular attention to cultural diplomacy and art-based exchanges.

The Aztec Pantheon and the Art of Empire is on exhibit at the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa through July 5, 2010.


http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/newswire/cpdblog_detail/cross-cultural_encounters_in_art_the_florentine_codex/

Neon Tommy- Who Sank the Cheonon? by Joshua Saidoff 4.26.10

Who Sank The Cheonan?
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by Joshua Saidoff
Contributor

The ROKS Cheonan (creative commons licensed: S.KOREA KDN)

If you get your news from a local paper, there's an important story you might not have heard about.

On March 26 the ROKS Cheonan, a 1,200-ton South Korean naval vessel, sank to the bottom of the Yellow Sea. Survivors recount a sudden, deafening explosion, a shockwave, and moments of terror as the ship broke in two and descended precipitously into the frigid waters.  The dead and the missing, 46 in all, accompanied the ship to the sea floor. That is where the broken hull remains, just off Baengnyeong Island, miles from the disputed maritime border that separates North and South Korea.

In the last decade alone, these contested waters have been the site of three belligerent encounters between the North and South Korean navies. Recently, North Korea has stepped up threats against South Korean vessels acting in the region, designating parts of the border region "peacetime firing zones," and firing dozens of shells into South Korean territorial waters  in January and February.

There are some indications that North Korea might have been involved in the sinking of ROKS Cheonan. At the time of the sinking, seismic sensors registered an event that measured 1.5 on the Richter scale - the equivalent of the detonation of a torpedo. Sailors' testimonies corroborate this scenario. Crewmen reported hearing an explosion that originated outside the ship. They didn't smell gunpowder, indicating that the explosion wasn't caused by ordinance held onboard. 

But evidence also exists to support other conclusions.  

Perhaps the most compelling alternate scenario involves the detonation of an unexploded mine from the Korean War. A mine explosion fits neatly with the sailor's testimony and with the seismic data. It also accounts for the fact that the ROKS Cheonan didn't detect any submarines operating in the area prior to the explosion.

A less compelling alternate scenario involves the ship running aground and disintegrating.   According to this scenario, welds in the ship's hull, weakened by age, gave way, causing the ship to break cleanly in half. Fragments of the wreckage recovered from the site appear to bear out this hypothesis. 

Most of the ship remains submerged, frustrating efforts to draw a definitive conclusion about the cause of the disaster. Absent this evidence, we must rely upon defense department statements about the good condition of the ship and its ability to safely navigate in the area.  

At present, the preponderance of evidence points to North Korean involvement - either accidental (i.e. due to legacy ordinance from the Korean War) or intentional (i.e. due to a torpedo attack).  

For reasons that are easy to explicate, the North Koreans have said nothing  about the incident. The top U.S. commander in the region cast doubt on North Korean involvement, and the South Korean president has urgedpatience, pending the outcome of a thorough forensic investigation.

The U.S. and North Korea have been disciplined about maintaining the consistency of their message. The North Koreans have been careful not to mention the Cheonan as they continue their daily barrage of vitriol against the U.S. and the R.O.K.  The U.S. has also maintained the message unity. The highest ranking member of the U.S. military establishment to comment on the event, 4-star General Walter Sharp, stated that there was no clear link between North Korea and the sinking of the Cheonan.  When asked about the event, State Department Spokesperson P.J. Crowleyechoed General Sharp's statement. President Obama offered only a perfunctory letter of condolence to the South Koreans. He made no allusion to the cause of the disaster.

The South Koreans have had more difficulty staying on message. There are those in the South Korean government that have a vested interest in blaming the North Koreans.  Defense Minister Kim Tae-Young, for example, has been criticized for attempting to deflect blame away from the South Korean navy. Kim has endorsed the torpedo attack as the most likely scenario.

The Obama Administration has said very little about the sinking of the ROKS Cheonan. So has the U.S. media. In the days and weeks following the incident, English language reporting and editorializing about the Cheonan was dwarfed by coverage of other local and international events.  

The media's disinterest in the Cheonan is incongruous with the intensity of U.S. involvement in the inter-Korean dispute.The U.S. has 28,500 soldiers stationed in South Korea and a mutual defense agreement with the R.O.K. Moreover, the Obama Administration has just placed nuclear non-proliferation at the top of its agenda, and it has identified North Korea as one of the targets of its policy. The U.S. strategy in the region centers on a resumption of the six-party talks on North Korean nuclear disarmament. If the sinking of the Cheonan is attributed to North Korea, then military tension with the nuclear-armed North is likely to increase. Would the U.S. be able to stand idly by if South Korea is attacked? Could the U.S. prevent its regional strategy from unraveling?

This story could get very big, very quickly.

Joshua Saidoff is a Masters Student in Public Diplomacy at USC's Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism.  He holds a Masters Degree in Government from the Herzliya Interdisciplinary Center in Israel and a Bachelors in Political Science from Stanford.  This op-ed is part of a parternership between Neon Tommy and the Association of Public Diplomacy Scholars.

http://blogs.uscannenberg.org/neontommy/2010/04/who-sank-the-cheonan.html

Neon Tommy- Why International Polls Matter by Melanie Ciolek 4.23.10

Why International Polls Matter
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by Melanie Ciolek
Contributor

Creative Commons Licensed (US Army Africa)

One of the first things a politician learns is to be skeptical of public opinion polls. Dismissive attitudes about polling, which cross party lines and international borders, create a serious dilemma for leaders when they are confronted with favorable data.

A little over a year ago, at London's G20 conference, President Barack Obama wasasked whether he had seen evidence of America's diminished power and authority in the world during his first international summit. In reply, Obama said that while he thought many people around the world had lost confidence in the U.S., he felt that his election and some of his administration's first actions were starting to restore America's standing. He added, "And although, as you know, I always mistrust polls, international polls seem to indicate that you're seeing people more hopeful about America's leadership."

President Obama may have been referring to an early 2009 poll that found that on average, across 17 countries, 67 percent of people believed his election would lead to improved U.S. relations with the rest of the world. 

Now a new BBC poll shows that global opinion of America's influence in the world is on the rise for the second straight year. On average across 27 countries, 46 percent see U.S. influence as mainly positive while 34 percent believe it is mainly negative - the first time attitudes about the U.S. have been more positive than negative since polling began in 2005.

Few would call it a coincidence that multiple polls  showing improved attitudes about the U.S. have followed Obama's election. "It appears the 'Obama effect' is real," said the most recent poll's analysis, citing more positive views of the U.S. from Germany and Russia to Chile and Egypt. But with the U.S. facing a world full of exhausted allies, reluctant partners, and determined adversaries, what does a global boost in numbers really matter? 

Some have their doubts, questioning how this apparent growth in soft power translates into "usable leverage" for the U.S. on its toughest policy challenges, such as securing support for sanctions against Iran. Others see a connection between U.S. popularity and how inclined foriegn leaders are to cooperate with the U.S.

At minimum, most would agree that a better reputation for the U.S. is a good step toward regaining credibility on the global stage--something which tends to be useful in building leverage. At the same time, restoring credibility will not come easy. U.S. actions from the Middle East to Guantanamo have done a great deal to erode global confidence, and it will take more than a change in leadership to rebuild trust.

But the global shift in opinion about America suggests that, at least for the immediate future, people around the world are willing to give Obama the benefit of the doubt.

As part of efforts to introduce the world to a new style of leadership, Obama spoke to audiences in Accra andCairo. Text messages, the internet, and the international media gave his message an ever greater reach. Less than a year later, improved attitudes about the U.S. seem to indicate they liked what they heard, but the challenge for Obama is to act while the world is still listening.

Elected leaders know that popularity in the eyes of the public does not immediately translate into political will.  Perhaps that's why many, like Obama, "always mistrust" polls. 

Governing solely by shifts of global opinion is not the answer, but questioning their value deprives leaders of a valuable source of information about the world.  George W. Bush did not need opinion polls to know that the UN Security Council would not support the 2003 invasion of Iraq, but without them it would have been difficult to understand the widespread consequences of these actions. 

Chances are a White House staffer received a summary of the new BBC figures in a daily briefing and passed them up the chain of command, perhaps reaching the President himself.

Hopefully he accepted them not as a stamp of approval for a "job well done," but as a sign that the world is waiting--some more patiently than others--to continue the dialogue that began with his election. 

His challenge now is to follow his words with actions.

Melanie Ciolek is a first-year student in the Master of Public Diplomacy program at the University of Southern California. Before arriving at USC, Melanie worked for the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) in Washington D.C., a global public opinion research think tank which manages the WorldPublicOpinion.org project. This op-ed is part of a partnership between Neon Tommy and the Association of Public Diplomacy Scholars.

http://blogs.uscannenberg.org/neontommy/2010/04/why-international-polls-matter.html

Neon Tommy- The Great Chinese Currency Debate by Babeeta Dhillon 4.22.10

he Great Chinese Currency Debate
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by Babeeta Dhillon
Contributor

Creative Commons Licensed (Jimmie)

Tensions between the United States and China always seem to be percolating. This time it's about money. 

The U.S. trade deficit with China is more than $200 billion.  Many in Washington consider the cause to be an inconsistent and fluctuating Chinese exchange rate.  China's currency policies have become a source of tension between the two countries, even leading some to claim that China's exchange rate is the cause of the sluggish economy in the U.S. President Obama recently suggested that perhaps China should let the value of its currency float more freely on world markets to help correct global economic imbalances. 

After President Hu Jintao's visit to Washington for the Nuclear Security Summit, he told Obama that China is reviewing its currency policy.  According to official Chinese media reports, any modification "will not be advanced by outside pressure,", and will be based on China's "own economic and social development needs." 

After the Chinese president's remarks, widespread speculation about China's current currency markets and RMB exchange rate have made hitting headlines in Washington and raised concern for other foreign markets like India.  If China raises the value of the Renminbi (aka the Yuan), Chinese exports would be more expensive on world markets and would make foreign imports to China cheaper, leveling the playing field for those countries able to control their markets.  

So far, the pressure on China to revalue its currency has only been from the U.S., but in order to gain dire support the U.S. has turned to its allies.  The U.S. has approached the European Union and Japan for help, but neither country's deficit is as large as the U.S. and both are standing on the sidelines watching the Sino-U.S. engagements.  The U.S. also approached India.  U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner recently took a trip to India with the intention of persuading India to apply joint pressure on the RMB exchange rate.  

Duvvuri Subbarao, the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (India's central bank) stated that "If China revalues the Yuan, it will have a positive impact on our external sector. If some countries manage their exchange rate and keep them artificially low, the burden of adjustment falls on some countries that do not manage their exchange rate so actively." Hence, implying that India may support U.S. efforts to pressure China's currency policy. 

Will India be used as a tool in an overarching U.S. strategy to tackle its deficit with China or will India stay loyal to developing countries and stand by China?

The statements of all parties involved will be addressed in an upcoming meeting for finance ministers and central bankers from G20 countries later this week.  

India should be cautions and observe the markets carefully before it makes any decisions.   Recently, the Bank of India increased key policy rates twice in two months, which is against economic predictions. Any drastic changes to the RMB exchange rate could have unpredicted effects on India's economic growth and could potentially halt its fast growing economy. 

Babeeta Dhillon is a first-year graduate student in the Master of Public Diplomacy program. Her topics of research include nation branding, corporate diplomacy, and environmental diplomacy, while her regions of focus are India, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Middle East. This op-ed is part of a partnership between Neon Tommy and the Association of Public Diplomacy Scholars.

http://blogs.uscannenberg.org/neontommy/2010/04/the-great-chinese-currency-deb.html

CPD/APDS Blog- Despite Poland's grief, there is much to celebrate by Krysta Close 4.16.10

DESPITE POLAND’S GRIEF, THERE IS MUCH TO CELEBRATE
APR 16, 2010Posted by APDS Bloggers
All posts by APDS Bloggers


APDS Blogger: Krysta Close

April 10 was a dark and painfully sad day—for the people of Poland, for the worldwide diaspora community known as Polonia, and for citizens everywhere—as the world struggled to grasp Poland’s sudden and stunning loss on both a personal and international level. As Sunday dawned, however, and life and governance continued on without misstep, one could feel the mood shift. Such overwhelming grief, wreckage and death could have easily seemed a hollow echo of a senselessly tragic national history, entrenching an image of Poland as Europe’s doormat, but this has not been the case. Amidst the loss, Poland’s strength rather than its weakness has been the dominant perception, and the prospect of reconciliation between longtime enemies has prevailed over blame or the reopening of old wounds.

As the international media has shone its spotlight on the devastating deaths of Polish President Lech Kaczyński and the First Lady as well as the loss of scores of top political, military and civil leaders, clergy members and everyday citizens, it has also highlighted the dignity and calm with which this great but historically battered nation has handled the incident and ensuing political re-organization. It is, in fact, these unexpected moments of media exposure that often make the best inadvertent public diplomacy opportunities, and Poland’s catastrophe has been no exception. As Poland emerges as a powerful modern nation, Saturday’s devastation has provided one such unexpected occasion, shedding light on many facets of Poland’s story to willing audiences around the world.

The Presidential plane crashed near Russia’s Katyń forest, a geographical irony mentioned in nearly all articles or editorials about the event, and one that adds important historical context to the story. Katyń was the site of a massacre of roughly 20,000 Polish Army officers by the Soviet NKVD during WWII, and the fact that Russia had until recently denied responsibility for this atrocity has been a persistent sore spot in Polish-Russian relations. However it is merely one of many difficult issues in long history of mutual mistrust and repression, including the period of Partitions during which Russia and Poland’s other neighbors divvied up Polish territory until it disappeared from the map of sovereign nations entirely. This antagonistic relationship has been described by Marek Zebrowski, director of USC’s Polish Music Center, as “one neighborhood—in this case Central Europe—[that] cannot accommodate two political powerhouses, and the rise of one will be coupled with the demise of the other.”

Saturday’s disaster has drawn international attention to the fact that this antagonism may have finally started to shift. A few days before the crash, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was the first Russian official to attend a commemoration of the Katyń massacre on its 70th anniversary; although he did not use the opportunity to give an official apology as many Poles had hoped, it was viewed as a positive step in Poland and beyond. Despite ongoing disagreements with Kaczyński and his policies, Putin and his colleague, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, were among the first leaders to extend condolences after the fatal crash and subsequently declared Monday a Russian national day of mourning. Also, Andrzej Wajda’s Academy Award-nominated film Katyń was screened for the first time on Russian state-owned television during Sunday primetime, making many Russians newly aware of violence that had been perpetrated on their own soil. While it is too early to know how these conciliations might affect inter-state relations in the long run, media coverage has burned this newfound cordiality between the nations into the international consciousness; one can only hope that citizens and fellow politicians will pressure Russian and Polish leaders to avoid reverting to their earlier positions of entrenched mistrust.

More important than history for public diplomacy, however, is positive action in the present, and this catastrophe has revealed a thriving nation to the world. It was the only European economy to exhibit growth during 2009, and not even the loss of President Kaczyński or Sławomir Skrzypek, head of the National Bank, could shake the stable Polish stock market this week. The nation’s political institutions have displayed equal solidity, in what has been hailed as “a triumph of Polish democracy… [in which] animosities and political cleavages have been buried… [and] the presidency—at least temporarily—has passed [smoothly] from the Party of Law and Justice to its primary rival, Civic Platform.” In a New York Times op-ed, Roger Cohen applauded Poland’s emergence from its past political tribulations: “Poland should shame every nation that believes peace and reconciliation are impossible, every state that believes the sacrifice of new generations is needed to avenge the grievances of history.”

As heartache abates and normalcy returns, Poland has the chance to practice another great virtue of successful public diplomacy: listening. This moment in the spotlight is a golden opportunity to digest international public opinion, and to capitalize on the emerging image of Poland as a powerful and stable nation with a vibrant economy and balanced politics. The message being transmitted back to Poland is clear and will endure beyond this moment of international empathy. There is no need to dwell on historical conflicts and repression, nor even Poland’s former grandeur or cutting-edge political leadership of the past —Poland has arrived as a great nation of today, and as a respected contributing member of the European Union, it is expected to stay that way.

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Krysta Close is a graduate student in the Master of Public Diplomacy Program. With an academic background in music and Chinese-language studies, her P.D. career has focused on the regions of China and Poland and the areas of sustainable peace-building and cultural diplomacy. She is the manager of thePolish Music Center in USC's Thornton School of Music. Her Polish grandfather narrowly escaped the massacre in Katyn through a combination of military instinct and impeccable timing.

http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/newswire/cpdblog_detail/despite_polands_grief_there_is_much_to_celebrate/

Neon Tommy- What Substance are Karzai's Marble Made Of? by Justin Rashin 4.15.10

What Substance Are Karzai's Marbles Made Of?
by Justin Rashid

Columnist

Creative Commons Licensed (World Economic Forum)

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been courting controversy lately.  He blamed the U.N. for the fraud that marred the 2009 presidential elections, claiming there was an international conspiracy to stop him being re-elected. He threatened to block a NATO summer offensive against insurgents in the south. Oh, and he's been accused of being an overly emotional heroin addict, irredeemably corrupt, and an incapable partner of the U.S.  Even more bizarrely, it is also alleged that he privately threatened to quit the political process and join the Taliban. 

Let's look at each in turn.  Why would Karzai pick a verbal fight with the West, one that seems to have escalated to a personal one-on-one with the White House?  Well, Karzai was essentially installed as president by the U.S. after the toppling of the Taliban government in 2001 and the subsequent Bonn Process.  Ever since, many Afghans have accused Karzai of being a U.S. puppet, enjoying money from the West, sitting back and letting NATO troops run about the country.  Recently though, Karzai's bubble in Kabul has been burst.  The past nine months have seen an increase in attacks in the Afghan capital, and locals are suffering economically as property prices skyrocket.  Perhaps the people around Karzai are finally urging him to show them what his marbles are made of. Perhaps standing up to the U.S. is his way of doing it.

On a visit to his home province of Kandahar, Karzai was sharply cricitised by elders for not doing enough to stem corruption and nepotism.  The elders also told Karzai that the former Taliban capital was not ready for a NATO offensive against insurgents, which U.S. troops are preparing for this summer.  (By the way, did anybody ask this question ahead of other NATO offensives, such as Operation Moshtarak?)  Karzai replied that he might delay or even cancel the offensive.  Listening to the elders in this way sounds like a president doing his job, but it has compounded U.S. frustration with Karzai.

These actions led Peter Galbraith, former U.N. representative in Afghanistan, to call Karzai an incapable partner for the U.S.  By way of explanation, Galbraith hints that Karzai's marbles may be made of Afghanistan's top export (opium).  Crazy comments like "maybe I'll join the Taliban" suddenly make sense.

So what if Karzai's marbles are made of opium?  At least he seems to have some marbles at all.  Opium is woven so tightly into the fabric of Afghanistan that it would be unusual if Karzai was not connected to drugs somehow.  His brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai, is well-known within Afghanistan to reap huge profits from the opium trade.  The same goes for corruption and nepotism.  

Western standards of zero tolerance for drugs and corruption cannot and should not be applied to Afghanistan because they have been part of the culture there for thousands of years.  Yes, their levels should be managed to a reasonable point, but we shouldn't fool ourselves into thinking they can be eliminated altogether.  You can be corrupt and on drugs and still make the right decision.

Karzai is emotional at the moment?  That doesn't mean he's on drugs.  Afghans are emotional people.  It's actually about time Karzai showed some emotion.

Justin Rashid is a graduate student in the Masters of Public Diplomacy program. This op-ed is part of a partnership between Neon Tommy and the Association of Public Diplomacy Scholars (www.uscapds.org)

http://blogs.uscannenberg.org/neontommy/2010/04/what-substance-are-karzais-mar.html

Neon Tommy- Obama's Nuclear Summit: Did It Matter? by Matthew Wallin 4.14.10

Obama's Nuclear Summit: Did It Matter?
by Matthew Wallin 

Contributor

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This week, President Obama convened agathering of 47 nations in Washington, D.C., for the world's first Nuclear Security summit -- deemed the "largest gathering of world leaders on U.S. soil" since the founding of the UN in 1945.  

The results of the conference appear promising, with solid commitments by a number of nations to reduce stockpiles and to take actions that would help lessen the threat of proliferation. Notably, Ukraine, scarred by the experience of Chernobyl and still battling its aftermath, agreed to convert its existing reactors to low-grade status and remove its entire stock of highly enriched uranium.  

As a bonus to the new START treaty, the U.S. and Russia also signed an update to a 2000 agreement on the reduction of weapons-grade plutonium. And in a win for the Obama Administration, China has warmed to the idea of discussing sanctions against Iran. Perhaps best of all, the attendees promised to secure all nuclear material within four years. Appropriately, the next summit will be held in Seoul in 2012.

But not all is rosy in Washington, as the summit has not been without its hiccups.  

Highlighting tensions between the U.S. and Israel, at the last moment, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu elected not to attend. Reasoning that the conference would be used as a platform by Arab nations to attack Israel's policy of nuclear ambiguity, his decision could preclude the opening of an important dialogue on a topic that is of the utmost concern to Israeli security. Pointing out that Israel is not a Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty signatory, Foreign Policy's Avner Cohen notes that Netanyahu's participation in the Nuclear Summit would have helped the image of Israel as a responsible nuclear power. Interestingly, Obama ducked the reporters' questions about Israel, saying that his position is consistent with that of previous administrations.

A key element of the summit was loose nukes. Buzz about the ability of terrorist or criminal organizations to get their hands on loose nukes has circulated wildly over the past decade. Of particular concern has been the security of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal -- security that was especially questionable when, in 2009, Taliban elements seized control of areas within 70 miles of the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. While American and Pakistani leaders have publicly stated that the security of Pakistan's nuclear weapons is not at risk, questions remain about the Pakistani Inter-Service Intelligence's alleged support of the Taliban and al Qaeda. Though Obama expectedly reconfirmed U.S. commitment to Pakistan's nuclear security, he gave no specifics as to what this actually entails.

Finally, there are Iran and North Korea. In a move hardly considered surprising, Iran announced its own upcoming summit, titled "Nuclear Energy for All, Nuclear Weapons for No One." More than 60 nations have been invited and the Iranians insist the summit will be successful. While success may be relative, the Obama administration must consider the pull that this conference may have on Russian or Chinese interests.  

With regards to North Korea, Obama appeared to have one foot set in fantasy, and another in reality. Though he correctly recognized that "sanctions are not a magic wand," he expressed hope that continuing pressure on the North Korean government will bring them back to the six party talks -- a process widely regarded as failed.  

Nuclear security efforts will take time. Time is a luxury that nuclear half-life affords, and security does not.  

Matthew Wallin is a second-year master's candidate in the Master of Public Diplomacy program. This op-ed is part of a partnership between Neon Tommy and the Association of Public Diplomacy Scholars.

http://blogs.uscannenberg.org/neontommy/2010/04/obamas-nuclear-summit-did-it-m.html

Neon Tommy- A Glimmer of Hope in Palestine by Naomi Leight 4.10.10

A Glimmer Of Hope In Palestine
by Naomi Leight 

Contributor

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From stalled pre-negotiation discussions to the growing divide between the Obama administration and the Netanyahu government, the small area of land between the Mediterranean and the Jordan River is always in the news -- and not in a generally positive way. 

Time and again negotiations for a final status agreement on Israel and Palestine have failed. Armed resistance and military retaliation has caused nothing but suffering on both sides. Palestinian statehood and Israeli security are as far away as ever. 

However there has been one new glimmer of hope -- Palestinian self-empowerment and non-violent protest. The New York Times reported this week that senior Palestinian leadership have been participating in "unarmed protest marches" to encourage Palestinian self-empowerment in building a sovereign Palestine.

While there is some debate as to whether these protests are truly non-violent, as there have been reports of burning settler-made goods, and whether or not the non-violence movement is a new occurrence, passive resistance could be an important tool for Palestinians. Non-violent protest is a way for the Palestinian people to demonstrate their opposition to the occupation without weapons, violence or threats. 

A key to building a future Palestine is to work toward Palestinian self-empowerment. The development of a stronger Palestinian civil society through its economy, infrastructure and other components necessary for an independent state, allow Palestinians to take back the fate of their sovereignty. As Economic Minister Hasan Abu Libdeh said, "We want ordinary people to feel like stockholders in the process of building a state". 

While advocating a two-state solution through negotiations, a collective Palestinian movement for nonviolent resistance and self-empowerment is a positive step towards achieving a solution to the conflict. Palestinians need to be invested in the process of building Palestine and take ownership of their state; Israelis must feel that the Palestinian state being built won't threaten its security. 

The public that the Palestinians must try to reach in their shift towards non-violence is not the world, but the Israelis. Palestinians should not use this opportunity as an attempt to isolate Israel in global public opinion, but rather as a means to reach out to the Israeli people to build trust. When Palestine is indeed a sovereign nation, Israelis need to trust they will have a neighbor that will not engage in violence, but instead exist as a neighbor with whom they can live next to, side-by-side. And Palestinians must believe that Israel will act likewise.

Even if a peace accord is signed between the Israeli government and Palestinian Authority, the people of the two countries need to trust each other. Actions speak louder than words--and peaceful protest on both sides of the Green Line for a two-state solution could speak loudest.

Naomi Leight is a second year master's candidate in the Master of Public Diplomacy program. She is the Managing Editor of the USC Center on Public Diplomacy's periodical, PDiN Monitor and the Social Events Chair for the Association of Public Diplomacy Scholars (APDS).This op-ed is part of a partnership between Neon Tommy and the Association of Public Diplomacy Scholars.


http://blogs.uscannenberg.org/neontommy/2010/04/a-glimmer-of-hope-in-palestine.html

CPD/APDS Blog- The Green Rule of Corporate Diplomacy by Martha Adams 4.9.10

THE GREEN RULE OF CORPORATE DIPLOMACY: BUSINESS 3.0?
APR 9, 2010Posted by APDS Bloggers
All posts by APDS Bloggers


APDS Blogger: Martha Adams

Green is not just a color. Culturally, green can have contradictory meanings within its spectrum of usage. It is often associated with slang for money or ‘green with envy’, while the opposite end of its range of meaning is closely related to the Old English verb growan or “to grow” [plant life], or more relevant today, sustainable practices and formation of trust.

Any one of these cultural definitions alone does not adequately encompass all the meanings of green as it pertains to Corporate Diplomacy. Here, just as the color green is created in the Subtractive Color System by mixing yellow and blue, an alternate image of green applicable to businesses can be developed by blending the concepts of ‘Innovation’ and the ‘Golden Rule’.

Variations of the Golden Rule appear world-wide throughout many cultures, tribes, and religions, dating back to ancient times. Its English version is commonly linked to Jesus of Nazareth in the Biblical book of Matthew, “Do unto others as you would have done unto you”.

Trust goes hand in hand with the Golden Rule; typically we trust those individuals we know well and who also treat us well, such as neighbors or family members. When transitioning from the living room of one’s home to the board room and then venturing into the consumer market, one sees trust is equally as important in forming meaningful relationships and consumer confidence.

Edelman, the leading independent global Public Relations Firm, released its2010 Trust Barometer in January 2010 and was a focal point of discussion recently in a USC seminar course on Corporate Diplomacy. This studydocuments a major shift in global opinion that should revolutionize the way business is conducted world-wide (see Methodology).

For the first time in the ten-year history of Edelman Annual Trust Barometer Reports, trust and transparency are ranked as being more important to corporate reputation than the quality of the products and services provided. In fact, 54% of people in the United States trust business and an average of 60% in most BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China). These factors of trust and transparency far outweigh the importance of financial returns, which is now listed by respondents at the bottom of all criteria.

It should not be a complete surprise that the ranking of financial returns shifted 180 degrees since 2006. Perhaps this is due to the downturn of the global economy, as approximately 70% of respondents believe business and finance companies will revert to their old habits when the financial crisis is over.

However, is it really the economic downturn, as identified by respondents, which changed the way people think about business? Why have respondents identified their ability to trust a company is currently of highest importance? There are many schools of thought that identify catalysts, which range from downward trending economic forces to a return to core family values. They also include an upward trend in global environmental awareness and populations well informed on global issues. Whatever the reasons, executives should recognize this shift as an opportunity to get their foot in the door, gain trust, and increase their social capital so they may draw upon it in the future.

Perhaps it is beneficial to analyze trust at the individual company level in order to understand this future benefit. On March 2, Gallup released results from their poll entitled, “Americans, Toyota Owners Still Confident in Toyota Vehicles”. Amazingly, while a March 4 Reuters article noted that a total of 7.2 million recall notices were issued in the United States with more than 50 United States crash deaths attributed to mechanical problems, 74% of Toyota owners say they have not lost confidence in Toyota, 82% believe their cars are still safe, and 79% would buy another Toyota!

This is a paramount example of brand loyalty and trust. There is no doubt Toyota accumulated consumer trust during the past fifty years of their existence. Toyota demonstrated this in a recently aired apologeticcommercial, framed in the beginning and end by black and white scenes reminiscent of car dealers from fifty years ago, and highlighting the perception of safe, reliable, high quality vehicles with a focus on core family values. While Toyota may lose some sales in the coming days, it seems its future as a company has not been completely destroyed and potentially will be saved by this element of family trust.

Well, what if a company does not have a historical reputation with an abundance of social capital? This corporation may be lucky enough to get its foot in the door early enough to take advantage of consumer psychological biases, which mandate a consumer change its behavior when trying a new product. Both the status quo bias and endowment effect must be overcome by the consumer. Such required psychological change is primarily due to the fact people largely overvalue benefits they currently posses relative to those they do not. So, the sooner a company enters the market and positions itself, the better.

In addition, new companies or existing businesses that wish to increase trust should look to innovation, not as a starting baseline, but as the focus for corporate culture. Trust is built among individuals through having innovative corporate diplomats practice cutting edge corporate diplomacy continuously. Such leaders must have an intuitive global mindset and executive skill-set which include a mutual respect and understanding of others, an ability to listen, understand, and adapt to foreign cultures, as well as have knowledge of emerging trends in sustainability and social media.

These qualities are necessary to possess in order to build trusting relationships and meet public expectations. The central strategy of a business should be rooted in these traits ultimately generated from the Golden Rule. Here is thus coined the “Green Rule”, or the business practice of using the Golden Rule to promote green sustainable growth both in society and in the company, while simultaneously generating a green profit.

Microsoft is among the corporations leading the way in this Green Rule movement. In January 2010, Microsoft created a new position entitled ‘Director of Innovative Social Engagement’. Time will tell if these job types are simply a passing trend or if other companies will jump on the Green Rule bandwagon for the long haul after fully recovering from the current recession.

Generation 2.0 of Government and the Web has succeeded in making information sharing and collaboration coexist both online and in public-private partnerships that have also been solidified into mainstream global culture. Business 2.0 features characteristics of Generation 2.0 incorporating social networking into its current campaigns.

Looking to the future, Web 3.0 will unfold with further web personalization ingrained in many aspects of life. It is inevitable this will lead to the creation of Generation 3.0 of business as well where businesses will take a broader approach and fully affect the lives of consumers. This budding age promises to have evidence of Green Rule components such as trust and full spectrum innovation as practiced by proper corporate diplomats.

Corporate desires strictly for a return on an investment will fade as companies begin to listen to and further focus on consumer desires of fulfilling meaningful relationships and promoting the greater good. Companies will find when they meet these consumer demands they are actually likely to see a return on an investment in the long run. Companies must rethink business strategy in order to be successful in the coming days in Business 3.0.

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Martha Adams is a first year graduate student in the Master of Public Diplomacy Program. A US Naval officer, she has traveled to 23 countries, and served as an intern at the World Trade Center Association, Los Angeles. Her areas of interest include corporate, design, and US military diplomacy as well as the cross-cultural psychology of communication.

http://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/index.php/newswire/cpdblog_detail/the_green_rule_of_corporate_diplomacy_business_30/

Neon Tommy- Time for Pope Benedict to Start Talking by Mariana Gonzalez Insua 4.6.10

Time For Pope Benedict To Start Talking

by Mariana González Insua
Contributor

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The old issue of pedophile priests has come back to haunt the Catholic Church, as a series of fresh sexual abuse scandals threatens to shake the long-standing religious institution to its core. 

The Church took the first big hit in early March, when a report revealed that the head of the Irish Catholic Church had been present at meetings in 1975 where children had signed vows of silence regarding their experiences with pedophile priests. Thereafter, allegations of child sexual abuse echoed across Europe in the Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and even in Germany, where Pope Benedict XVI's brother was accused of being involved in some of the scandals and the pontiff himself was personally linked to the mishandling of the cases. The latest in this string of scandals surfaced less than two weeks ago in the US, when The New York Timesreported the failure of the Vatican to defrock a priest who had molested some 200 deaf boys in Wisconsin. 

What shocked the world, and the Catholic community in particular, has not only been the nature of these revelations but the Vatican's haphazard and ill-advised response. The Vatican's tone-deaf reactions include declarationsemphasizing that pedophilia is not a problem limited to the Catholic Church but one that affects society at large,protests against the international media for waging what the Vatican considers a smear campaign, an (unsuccessful) letter of the Pope to the Catholics of Ireland on sexual abuse (which, failing to punish Church leaders for past mistakes and lacking a mea culpa on the part of the Pope, simply added insult to injury), the launch of six Twitter channels where old Vatican declarations on sex abuse were tweeted, and the inappropriate comparison by Benedict's personal Preacher of the accusations levied against the Catholic Church to the "collective violence suffered by the Jews." 

(Backpedaling, the Vatican had to do damage control by stating that those words did not represent the Church's official stance.) 

What speaks loudest, however, is the Pope's silence on the issue. And when the world was expecting the head of the church to finally address the scandals during the Sunday Easter mass, it was instead subjected to Cardinal Sodano'spraise of the Pope for rising above "petty gossip."

Over the centuries, the Catholic Church has shown impressive resiliency, and it is unlikely that the turmoil that is currently rocking the institution will bring about its demise. But it is also true that the competition the church faces for soul-share (a fact that led the 82-year old media-wary Pope to urge priests earlier this year reach out to the people by blogging) and the Vatican's blemished record, especially in light of the ongoing sex abuse scandals, will certainly prevent potential converts from joining the Church's ranks and might even alienate current members. 

At this point, whatever the Church does to address the pedophilia allegations will almost certainly be too little too late. But if Benedict XVI wishes to defend his credibility and that of the institution he represents, he would do well to speak out, punish those involved in abuse cases and put measures in place to prevent this type of misconduct on the part of the clergy.  

As for the future, he might consider hiring a public diplomacy team.

Mariana González Insua is a first year student in USC's Masters of Public Diplomacy program. She is originally from Argentina and recently completed a Masters in Latin American Studies at Stanford University.

http://blogs.uscannenberg.org/neontommy/2010/04/time-for-pope-benedict-to-star.html

CPD/APDS Blog- The Sporty Spice of Colombia by Miles Knowles 4.5.10

THE SPORTY SPICE OF COLOMBIA
APR 5, 2010Posted by APDS Bloggers
All posts by APDS Bloggers


APDS Blogger: Miles Knowles

Even as most of North America was closing out the XXI Winter Olympics by viewing an epic hockey match between Canada and the U.S., America's Southern Hemisphere had already started preparing for their own version of the Summer Olympics. The South American Games, which featured over 5,000 athletes from fifteen different countries, came to a close earlier this week in Medellín, Colombia. The significance? The emergence of Colombiansports diplomacy and its vital role in re-branding the country's image.

Colombia certainly tops the list of countries in need of a brand makeover. To most outsiders, Colombia evokes imagery of dense jungles, impoverished coca farmers, guerrillas, and of course, the drug lord Pablo Escobar.
Despite its reputation, Colombia has undergone an incredible transformation from almost-failed state to one of the most prosperous countries in Latin America. With U.S. assistance, the Uribe Administration's security policies have reduced the capacities and numbers both of guerrillas and paramilitaries while decreasing the level of domestic coca cultivation.

When the Colombian government first approached a marketing consultant about re-branding the country's image in 1996, the consultant's reply was "Don't waste your time." However, when the Colombian government rang him up again in 2004, the result was the establishment of Colombia es Pasión (Colombia is Passion). Since its inception, Colombia es Pasión has typically relied on tourism and cultural diplomacy as its principle Public Diplomacy outlets.

Until recently, the most recognizable cultural exports from Colombia were art, literature and music: Nobel Prize-winning author Gabriel García Márquez is one of the most well-known writers in the world and Fernando Botero's disproportional "fat" sculptures can be found all the way from Mexico City to Armenia. Colombia is also home to international megastars Shakira and Juanes, who will represent Colombia by singing at the opening ceremony of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Though the Colombian National Soccer Team did not punch their ticket to South Africa, Colombia will host the 2011 FIFA "Under 20" World Cup and intends to make a serious bid for the FIFA World Cup in 2026.

Colombian sports are on the rise as a useful public diplomacy resource. Five-time All-Star Edgar Rentería opened the door to Major League Baseball for his country and recently established the first professional league in Colombia. Juan Pablo Montoya and Camilo Villegas continue to compete (and win) internationally in NASCAR and PGA respectively. Even the former FARC stronghold of Villavicencio has garnered international praise for hosting the annual Cowgirl World Championships. Colombian athletes competing in other countries' professional leagues and the increasing number of international sporting events hosted in Colombia demonstrate the potential sports diplomacy has for re-branding the country.

Colombia put down some serious pesos in hosting the South American Games. The inauguration ceremony featured world-class pyrotechnics and the choreography of Cirque du Soleil director Franco Dragone. Colombian Public Diplomacy efforts during the games were directed at both athletes and spectators in attendance. Entrance was free to all of the events at the Medellín million-dollar arenas and sports complexes constructed specifically for the Games. Particularly clever was the accommodation of international athletes in the same apartment complexes that Medellín has constructed as part of its urban renewal projects. Consequently, all athletes were issued a Metro pass to utilize Medellín's public transport (which include a MetroRail and Gondolas) to commute between the events and their accommodations. And despite an urban terror offensive by the FARC, not one act of violence managed to disrupt the Games in Medellin.

Though this is not Colombia's first time hosting an international sporting event, the South American Games may have been its most important. Less than twenty years ago, Medellín was known as "the most dangerous city in the world," leading global homicides with 381 per 100,000 inhabitants. Hosting international events in Colombia's most infamous city is perhaps the best way of demonstrating the leaps and bounds Colombia has made in recent years to those who continue to doubt its progress. In any case, Colombian sports diplomacy will hopefully function as another cultural commodity in re-branding the country's image and distancing itself from its tumultuous past.

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Miles Knowles is a graduate of the Master of Public Diplomacy program at the University of Southern California. His interests and areas of expertise are Cultural Diplomacy and Sustainable Development in Latin America. He is currently living in South America doing freelance NGO work and blogging about his experience at http://rockstardiplomat.blogspot.com/