The Foreign Service Journal, October 2022

16 OCTOBER 2022 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Public Diplomacy’s Domestic Dimension By Vivian S. Walker S hould externally focused public diplomacy activities have a domestic dimension? Many Americans are generally aware of and interested in public and private sector engage- ment in the international arena, but far fewer make the connection between global actions and local consequences. A recent special report by the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy explores the use of U.S. government public diplomacy programs and resources to engage domestic audiences. The April 2022 report, “Exploring U.S. Public Diplomacy’s Domestic Dimen- sion,” is based on the presumption that in an increasingly globalized world, international events have local impacts. As several senior government officials have noted, foreign policy is domestic policy and domestic policy is foreign policy—and there is a corresponding requirement for Americans to understand why and how U.S. foreign policy affects their day-to-day lives. Featuring essays by three thought leaders in public diplomacy on practitio- ner, historical, and social research perspectives, the report also offers insights into the scope and authorities of public diplomacy’s domestic dimension; the identification of domestic audiences, stakeholders, and potential partners; and the policy and resource implications of a focus on domestic public diplomacy. Here are some takeaways from different perspectives. Jennifer Hall Godfrey, Department of State, from the practitioner’s perspective: We must show the same honesty and integrity as we engage the domestic public to build trust, just as we do overseas. It is only through trust that we can effectively communicate to the American people how foreign policy affects their lives and solicit meaningful input that can help us shape a foreign policy that is reflective of their needs and interests. Nicholas J. Cull, University of Southern California, from the academic perspective: The time has come to rethink the rigid division of the foreign and domestic operation of U.S. public diplomacy. The old firewall is out of step with the transnational nature of today’s media and the transnational lives lived by so many people. We know that a word spoken in Kansas can be heard in Kandahar and vice versa. Richard Wike, Pew Research Center, from a policy perspective: On balance, the American public tends to embrace the basic principles of inter- national cooperation. Still, many have reservations about engaging with other countries, and they are distrustful of multilateral organizations. And like so many issues in American public opinion, there are sharp divisions along partisan lines on questions about international engagement. benefit of people in the United States and all nations, these are the world’s priorities.” Realignments in the Middle East I srael and Turkey will restore full diplomatic relations and re-appoint respective ambassadors and consuls general, officials from both countries said on Aug. 17 following a conversation between Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The announcement comes four years after the two countries expelled ambassa- dors over the killing of 60 Palestinians by Israeli forces during protests on the Gaza border against the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. Despite the thaw in ties, Al Jazeera wrote, the Palestinian issue is likely to remain contentious. Shortly after the announcement, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters: “We are not giving up on the Palestinian cause.” Meanwhile, on Aug. 21, the United Arab Emirates announced that its ambas- sador to Iran would return to Tehran “in coming days,” more than six years after the country downgraded ties with the Islamic Republic. The UAE’s move came in 2016 after Saudi Arabia severed its own relations with Tehran in response to Iranian pro- testers storming the Saudi embassy after Riyadh executed a prominent Shiite cleric, according to Reuters. State: Not the Absolute Worst Place to Work I n their recently released annual report on the best places to work in the federal government, the Partner- ship for Public Service and the Boston Consulting Group found that the State Department ranks 13th out of the 17