U.s. Public Diplomacy Introduction

Public diplomacy plays an indispensable role in US foreign policy. As an important channel directly communicating with people of other countries, it is complementary to traditional diplomacy in advancing national interests. Aiming at foreign audiences, public diplomacy is a political communicative process which is meant to building national image and shaping international environment favorable to achieving national goals.Before examining its history and practices, this paper provides an overview of the research on U.S. public diplomacy in China. It is the September 11 terrorist attack that stops the waning of public diplomacy efforts after the end of Cold War. Using US public diplomacy activities in the Arab and Muslim world as a case study, this paper attempts to explore the context of reinvigorating public diplomacy, in which a new operating mechanism is in the making.The paper also provides an evaluation on the nature of public diplomacy from three aspects. First, the evolution of public diplomacy is the result of the interaction between its external conditions and practices. Second, public diplomacy is a realistic process with distinguished idealistic characteristics. Third, public diplomacy, in nature, is more a negotiation between cultures than a dialogue between governments.