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The Layalina Review

VOL. V NO. 1, January 02-January 15, 2009

Public Diplomacy 2.0

Toward the end of 2008, the US Department of State drew attention to a variety of online initiatives aimed at curbing extremism and promoting engagement with foreign publics in the ‘War of Ideas’ (PR.IV_23: E-Diplomacy in the Digital Age.)

Speaking about the role of social networking sites such as Facebook, Under Secretary Glassman stressed during a Briefing on US Public Diplomacy and the War of Ideas in November that the State Department was "acting as a facilitator to speed the use of the same techniques again employed by foreign citizens, not governments to build movements against violence."

In addition to discussing the power of social networking sites, the State Department briefing touched on the progress of the digital outreach team, a select group of "people who go onto the Internet, into chat rooms, onto popular websites, onto blogs in some cases, and talk about American policy, correct mistakes that are being made, and refer people back to factual documents."

In another attempt at web-based diplomacy, the State Department launched in October an initiative entitled "Briefing 2.0" in which Department spokesman Sean McCormack will take questions from the general population as a way to help Americans understand the importance of foreign affairs.

"The world of Public Diplomacy is changing and ever adapting to the digital age, enhancing communication outside of the traditional channels of convention," notes Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Colleen Graffy for the Washington Post this month.

Remarking that the "proliferation of democracies and the emergence of the round-the-clock media environment have brought an end" to the days when diplomats dealt with diplomats and decisions were taken behind closed doors, today "governments must communicate not only with their people but also with foreign audiences, including through public diplomacy."

Graffy asserts that public diplomacy is the art of communicating a country's policies, values, and culture, and notes that diplomats today engage, connect, and listen to people before communicating. This also explains the introduction of the State Department’s "Public Diplomacy 2.0," social networking side for State alumni, enhanced Web sites, blogs, and Facebook pages for embassies.

One clear lesson that emerged from the Cold War was that winning hearts and minds required communicating in a way that "connected" with people on their terms, whether through film or jazz or jeans. Graffy concludes, "To keep our public diplomacy relevant today, we have to reach out and connect with people on their terms, whether we use blogs or texts."