Front Line Public Diplomacy: How US Embassies Communicate with Foreign Publics

289 Pages·2014·3.942 MB·English

by  William A. Rugh

Palgrave Macmillan Series in Global Public Diplomacy

Series editors:
Kathy Fitzpatrick, Quinnipiac University, USA
Philip Seib, University of Southern California, USA
Advisory Board:
Mai’a K. Davis Cross, ARENA Centre for European Studies, Norway
Nicholas J. Cull, University of Southern California, USA
Teresa LaPorte, University of Navarre, Spain
Donna Lee, University of Kent, United Kingdom
Jan Melissen, Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael and
University of Antwerp, Belgium
Abeer Najjar, American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
William A. Rugh, Former US Ambassador to Yemen and United Arab Emirates
Cesar Villanueva Rivas, Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico
Li Xiguang, Tsinghua University, China
At no time in history has public diplomacy played a more significant role in world
affairs and international relations. As a result, global interest in public diplomacy has
escalated, creating a substantial academic and professional audience for new works in
the field.
This series examines theory and practice in public diplomacy from a global per-
spective, looking closely at public diplomacy concepts, policies, and practices in vari-
ous regions of the world. The purpose is to enhance understanding of the importance
of public diplomacy, to advance public diplomacy thinking, and to contribute to
improved public diplomacy practices.
The editors welcome submissions from scholars and practitioners represent-
ing a range of disciplines and fields (including diplomacy, international relations,
international communications, public relations, political science, global media, and
marketing/advertising) and offering diverse perspectives. In keeping with its global
focus, the series encourages non-US-centric works and comparative studies.
Toward a New Public Diplomacy: Redirecting U.S. Foreign Policy
Edited by Philip Seib
Soft Power in China: Public Diplomacy through Communication
Edited by Jian Wang
Public Diplomacy and Soft Power in East Asia
Edited by Sook Jong Lee and Jan Melissen
The Practice of Public Diplomacy: Confronting Challenges Abroad
Edited by William A. Rugh
The Decline and Fall of the United States Information Agency: American Public Diplomacy,
1989–2001
Nicholas J. Cull
Beyond Cairo: US Engagement with the Muslim World
Darrell Ezell
Collaborative Public Diplomacy: How Transnational Networks Influenced American Studies
in Europe
Ali Fisher
Religion and Public Diplomacy
Edited by Philip Seib
Communicating India’s Soft Power: Buddha to Bollywood
Daya Kishan Thussu
European Public Diplomacy
Edited by Mai’a K. Davis Cross and Jan Melissen
The Challenge of Public Diplomacy
James Thomas Snyder
Shaping China’s Global Imagination: Branding Nations at the World Expo
Jian Wang
Front Line Public Diplomacy: How US Embassies Communicate with Foreign Publics
William A. Rugh
Front Line Public Diplomacy

How US Embassies Communicate
with Foreign Publics
William A. Rugh
front line public diplomacy
Copyright © William A. Rugh, 2014.
All rights reserved.
First published in 2014 by
PALGRAVE MACMILLAN®
in the United States— a division of St. Martin’s Press LLC,
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
Where this book is distributed in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world,
this is by Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited,
registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills,
Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS.
Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies
and has companies and representatives throughout the world.
Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States,
the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries.
ISBN: 978–1–137–44414–1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Rugh, William A.
Front line public diplomacy : how US embassies communicate with
foreign publics / William A. Rugh.
pages cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978–1–137–44414–1 (hardcover : alk. paper)
1. Diplomatic and consular service, American. 2. United States—Foreign
public opinion. 3. United States—Foreign relations administration. I. Title.
JZ1480.A5R84 2014
327.73—dc23 2014007054
A catalogue record of the book is available from the British Library.
Design by Newgen Knowledge Works (P) Ltd., Chennai, India.
First edition: August 2014
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
This book is dedicated to
Andrea Rugh

C O N T E N T S

Acknowledgments ix
List of Abbreviations xi
Introduction 1
Part I The Context
One Legacy: Public Diplomacy’s Philosophy and Legal Basis 7
Two Public Diplomacy Professionals 23
Part II Field Office Management
Three The Public Affairs Officer 43
Four Contacts and Personal Networking Techniques 65
Part III Information Programs
Five Traditional Information Channels 81
Six Social Networking Media: Use by Field Posts 95
Seven S ocial Networking Media: Factors to Consider
in Their Use 113
Part IV Cultural and Educational Programs
Eight American Cultural Programs 129
Nine Centers, Libraries, and Other “American Spaces” 145
Ten Educational Exchanges 161
viii Contents
Part V Pentagon Communications
Eleven Defense Department Communications:
Changing Role 181
Twelve Defense Department Communications Abroad
Compared with Public Diplomacy 201
Part VI Conclusion
Thirteen Changes and Enduring Principles 221
Notes 235
Index 269
A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S

Many people have helped with the research that is cited in this book.
First, I want to thank the students in the graduate seminar on American
public diplomacy that I taught for several years at the Fletcher School of
Law and Diplomacy of Tufts University. The term papers they wrote
were superb and made significant contributions to our understanding
of the actual practice of public diplomacy (PD) because they inter-
viewed American PD professionals currently serving at US embassies
in many countries about their work. Although I helped with contacts,
their original work made their papers unique and valuable. Some were
later published, but with the authors’ permissions, I have cited many
that have not been published. I have quoted dozens of them and their
names appear in the endnotes. I am grateful to these students and to all
of my students at Fletcher, including my foreign students, who made
teaching there intellectually rewarding.
Numerous Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) now working in public
diplomacy at the State Department gave me their time to answer my
questions related to my study of public diplomacy. Among them were
Ambassadors Adam Ereli, Alberto Fernandez, and Rich Schmierer, as
well as Walter Douglas, Pat Kabra, Haynes Mahoney, Matt Lussenhop,
Duncan MacInnes, Michelle Rubayda, Rick Ruth, Kathy VandeVate,
and Donna Winton.
I owe a special debt of gratitude to two currently serving FSOs who
are public diplomacy professionals, Bridget Gersten and Elise Crane.
Dr. Bridget Gersten is a mid-career FSO who served in several different
public diplomacy positions since 1999. She was the public affairs officer
at the US embassy in Saudi Arabia and the US mission in Vladivostok,
Russia; the information officer (IO) at the US embassy in Bogota
Colombia; the assistant IO in Moscow; and a senior PD advisor at the
US embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. She was also a senior PD officer