The Foreign Service Journal, March 2015

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2015 53 AFSA NEWS AFSA Roundtable Addresses Divide Between Foreign Policy Practitioners and Scholars AFSA President Robert J. Silverman hosted a round- table luncheon at AFSA headquarters on Dec. 2 to discuss ways to narrow the considerable gap between scholars and practitioners of foreign policy. The event was held in connection with the recent publication of Scholars, Policymakers and Interna- tional Affairs: Finding Com- mon Cause (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2014). The book was reviewed in the Jan-Feb 2015 issue of FSJ . Abraham Lowenthal, a professor at the University of Southern California who edited the book along with Mariano E. Bertucci, led the discussion. Ambassador Thomas Shannon, the current counselor of the State Depart- ment and a contributor to the book, was a special guest. Despite what he called “tre- mendous problems of mutual misunderstanding,” Lowenthal cited opportunities for “fruit- ful connections” between the academic and practical world in foreign policy. The book’s final chapter, titled “Scholars, Policymak- ers and International Affairs: Toward More Fruitful Connec- tions,” lists several concrete steps to bridge the gap. The Foreign Service members and other guests in attendance touched on issues ranging from the lack of time for long-range thinking (which leads to “the inbox and the urgent” running the State UPDATE : LONDON I RAN WATCHER POS I T I ON AFSA supports the IranWatcher program as a two- pronged tool to improve the government’s under- standing of Iran’s regional presence and outreach, and to develop a cadre of Persian speakers within the Foreign Service. AFSA filed an implementation dispute regarding a breach of contract with the State Department on the removal from the Foreign Service bidding pool of the London IranWatcher position and its inclusion in the Overseas Development Program (see “AFSAActs to Protect Integrity of FSAssign- ments System,” in the December 2014 FSJ ). As of press time, AFSA and the department were involved in settlement talks regarding the London position and criteria for approving future ODP positions. n NEWS BRIEF Department) to the need for career education, not just training, and ways to prioritize interaction between academ- ics and practitioners. n — Debra Blome, Associate Editor AFSA Supports the U.S. Diplomacy Center BY IAN HOUSTON, AFSA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR In July 2014, the American Foreign Service Association Governing Board decided to make a financial contribu- tion of $50,000 to the United States Diplomacy Center project through the Diplo- macy Center Foundation. The museumwill highlight the critical role of diplomacy and development in our coun- try’s national security and economic prosperity. Addi- tional AFSA support is linked to exhibit progress and further development of the museum’s governance structure. Since 1924, AFSA has played a central role in preserving and promoting the history of the U.S. Foreign Service, and we look forward to being a partner in the USDC project. On Sept. 3, five former Secretaries of State joined Secretary of State John Kerry to break ground for the construction of the USDC at the 21st Street entrance of the State Department (see the October 2014 FSJ for cov- erage of the groundbreaking ceremony). The USDC, which will be open to the general public, aims to illustrate the impor- tance of American diplomacy in our nation, the role it plays in advancing peace and how it affects our daily concerns. Through exhibitions at the museum and educational center, a detailed website and a strong outreach program, the center will help visitors understand why diplomacy and those who conduct it— particularly members of the Foreign Service—matter to national security. We believe this sort of outreach is critical to ensur- ing a strong connection between American citizens and those who represent them abroad. AFSA’s effective steward- ship of member resources has allowed us to make a strategic investment in this historic initiative while still advancing other priorities. It is precisely with such goals in mind that AFSA has worked to develop its financial capac- ities, and we are excited to be able to use our resources to further the goal of improv- ing public understanding of the essential role played by the professionals of the U.S. Foreign Service. n