Lessons from the Past - USC Center on Public Diplomacy

12 Public Diplomacy
1. Definitions
1.1 Diplomacy, Traditional Diplomacy and Public
Diplomacy
This author defines diplomacy as <strong>the</strong> mechanisms short of war
deployed by an international actor to manage <strong>the</strong> international
environment. Today, this actor may be a state, multi-national corporation,
non-governmental organization, international organization,
terrorist organization/stateless paramilitary organization or o<strong>the</strong>r
player on <strong>the</strong> world stage; traditional diplomacy is international
actor’s attempt to manage <strong>the</strong> international environment through
engagement with ano<strong>the</strong>r international actor; public diplomacy is
an international actor’s attempt to manage <strong>the</strong> international environment
through engagement with a foreign public. 1
Historically PD has taken <strong>the</strong> form of contact between one
government and <strong>the</strong> people of ano<strong>the</strong>r state. PD does not always
seek its mass audience directly. Often it has cultivated individuals
within <strong>the</strong> target audience who are <strong>the</strong>mselves influential in <strong>the</strong>
wider community. Moreover, PD does not always take <strong>the</strong> form of
an immediate attempt to influence a foreign public. It is also part
of public diplomacy to listen to a foreign public and change your
approach or even your high policy as a result. Similarly <strong>the</strong> contact
need not be related to <strong>the</strong> image of <strong>the</strong> international actor, it might
be <strong>the</strong> promotion of an idea (such as international cooperation on
climate change) which <strong>the</strong> actor considers an important element in
foreign policy. In all cases <strong>the</strong> method is some form of engagement
with a foreign public and <strong>the</strong> aim is <strong>the</strong> same—<strong>the</strong> management of
<strong>the</strong> international environment.
1.2 The New Public Diplomacy
Scholars now speak of <strong>the</strong> New Public Diplomacy. 2 This term
is compatible within <strong>the</strong> definition above but also draws attention
to key shifts in <strong>the</strong> practice of public diplomacy. These are: 1) <strong>the</strong>