Recent event and development which illustrates the importance and otherwise of public diplomacy in contemporary world politics.

The term public diplomacy in international relations describes a conduct of foreign policy by engagement with foreign publics. Originally, it was a euphemism of purportedly truthful propaganda.

We can see the changes of the public diplomacy in the American example. For example, foreign views of United States changed after the US decided to go to war with Iraq in 2003.

Before the issue of the Iraq war, the foreign views of the United States were very favorable. Even during 1999-2000, public attitudes toward the United States were positive in much of Europe and the Muslim world. However, the Americans’ attack on Iraq in 2003, caused a growth of very negative foreign views of the USA, especially in the Arab and Muslim worlds. There were many protests against the Iraq War around the world, as well as in United States itself. The attached videos demonstrate this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fjt7lHCICkw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKzLEjzvtfM&feature=related

By 2007, public around the world saw the United States as a threat to their countries. It can be said that in the time after 9/11, during the Bush administration, the American public diplomacy failed. The American image abroad was very bad and the reason for this was the bad public diplomacy, which in other words is called ‘strategic communication’. At this time the change was needed.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090216/tirman

The change and the public diplomacy development came together with Barack Obama’s election. As a candidate during the elections, Senator Obama displayed an important component of public diplomacy; he created meaningful relationships among targeted public groups using the Internet and other people-to-people platforms. He promoted his anti-war stance. Furthermore, Obama did not support the Iraq war and wanted to take some actions to solve this problem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhpKmQCCwB8

Obama wanted to help to improve the American image abroad. One of the important things he has done, is valued two-way communication and dialogue over confrontation and unidirectional edicts. These new ideas were welcomed by Americans as well as by other foreign publics.. Furthermore, Obama promotes non-violent resolutions to problems, with collaborations not confrontation, and negotiations.

Based on the example of the Iraq war, we can see the failure of American public diplomacy in world politics, and moreover its development, which came together with the Obama’s administration, which is still in process.

Bibliography:

- Dr. J. Gregory Payne- President Barack Obama: Advocate of Grassroots Public Diplomacy

accessed: http://www.tripodos.com/pdf/M04.pdf77.pdf

- Stephen Van Evera and Peter Krause: "Public Diplomacy: Ideas for the War of Ideas"

accessed: http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/19550/public_diplomacy.html