| The 9·11 terrorism attack has changed the key issue of U.S foreign policy and emphasized the importance of public diplomacy. In order to improve America's national image and reduce the hostility towards U.S., U.S. transformed its public diplomacy in the Muslim world. However its public diplomacy in the Muslim world hasn't done well as expected. The thesis will systematically analyze and appraise strength and weakness of U.S. public diplomacy in the Muslim world and its meaning to China's international communication and national image. The innovation value of this thesis lies in: 1) analyzes U.S. public diplomacy in the Muslim world, which is more concrete than other studies on public diplomacy in China; 2) introduces new materials and literature on public diplomacy in western countries; 3) conceptualizing public diplomacy as three dimensions and three spheres; 4) discusses difficulties of assessment of public diplomacy from a comprehensive perspective combining theories and methods of diplomacy, communication and sociology; 5) tries to appraise U.S public diplomacy from different aspects such as internal operation of public diplomacy, the relationship between public diplomacy and foreign affairs, conflict between public diplomacy and cultural differences and avoids the single assessment model from the traditional angle. Public diplomacy is referred to official government efforts to promote national interests of one country through understanding, informing and influence foreign publics. According to a different time scale, we can characterize three dimensions of public diplomacy activities: news management, strategic communication and relationship building. Such policy areas as political/military, economic and societal/cultural spheres will carry different weight at different times and in different contexts. The Muslim world in the thesis refers to countries in which Islam is the major religion of the people including those countries with Islam as their state religion or countries in which there are a large number of Muslims and Islam has enormous influence. Soft power theory is the theoretical basis of public diplomacy and logical starting point of the importance and necessity of public diplomacy. Soft power is the ability to reach expected outcome by making others do what they want. It coopts people rather than coerces them. Soft power is the goal of public diplomacy; public diplomacy is the way to realize soft power; the extent to which public diplomacy gains concerns is closely related with how a country thinks about the importance of soft power. The difficulty of assessing soft power in both theoretical and practical ways is the challenge facing the assessment of public diplomacy. As the end of the Cold War, international politics is undergoing new changes. Information revolution, development of mass communication and its relationship with public opinions and foreign policy provide U.S public diplomacy new foundations and instruments. In globalization context, various beliefs and values coexist and conflict in an unprecedented way. Therefore, public diplomacy must reduce differences, advocate tolerance and avoid conflicts. In addition, public diplomacy must face the reality that development of civil society and the increasing power of public opinions make the psychological and public opinion dimension of foreign policy more important. U.S. universal image in the world is hegemony, unilateralism and cultural imperialism. Iraqi war evoked hostility and hatred towards U.S. in many countries of the world especially in the Muslim world. Anti-Americanism will threat U.S security and disturb its foreign policy. U.S. can't realize its global strategy without supporters and partners. After 9·11 attack, U.S. Foreign policy shifted to combating global terrorism. Realizing the importance of facing terrorism challenges through public diplomacy, U.S. government increases resources of public diplomacy including public diplomacy budget and staff. Public diplomacy institutions in U.S. government mainly in...
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