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January-February 2021

The Foreign Service Journal covers foreign affairs from an insider’s perspective, providing thought-provoking articles on international issues, the practice of diplomacy and the U.S. Foreign Service. Including the AFSA News section, The Journal is published monthly (January-February and July-August issues combined) by the American Foreign Service Association.

The January-February issue focuses on U.S. Diplomacy for the 2020s.

We always welcome short, focused letters about FSJ content; please send them to journal@afsa.org.

FOCUS ON U.S. DIPLOMACY FOR THE 2020s

The Future of the Foreign Service

A discussion with Ambassadors Nicholas Burns, Marc Grossman and Marcie Ries

Diversity and Inclusion in the U.S. Foreign Service—Recommendations for Action

The Association of Black American Ambassadors offers a set of measures to make diversity and inclusion real at State and USAID.

Diplomacy and Democracy: Putting Values into Practice

American diplomats can play an important role in addressing the global weakening of democracy.

BY MICHAEL J. ABRAMOWITZ

Getting State Back into Nuclear Arms Control and Nonproliferation

Nuclear arms control and nonproliferation remain critical national security challenges. How prepared is the State Department to deal with these issues?

BY LAURA KENNEDY

FEATURES

What the Tunisian Revolution Taught Me

Reflections on the 10th anniversary of the Arab Spring from a career diplomat who was there.

BY GORDON GRAY

Believers: Love and Death in Tehran—An Excerpt

On the 40th anniversary of the release of the Iran hostages, a fictional FSO heroine stirs memories of the takeover of the U.S. embassy in Tehran and its aftermath.

BY JOHN LIMBERT AND MARC GROSSMAN

PERSPECTIVES

President’s Views

A Moment of Hope and Possibility

BY ERIC RUBIN

Letter from the Editor

Picking Up the Pieces

BY SHAWN DORMAN

Reflections

A Crown and a Nation

BY BEATRICE CAMP

AFSA NEWS

State VP Voice

Reforming the State Department

BY TOM YAZDGERDI

USAID VP Voice

Refine, But Don’t Re-define, Development

BY JASON SINGER

FCS VP Voice

The New Year: An Opportunity to Think Differently

BY JAY CARREIRO

AFSA on the Hill

Advocacy in a New Administration

BY KIM GREENPLATE