Research, ideas, and leadership for a more secure, peaceful world

Past Event
Study Group

Soft Power & Cultural Diplomacy Study Group

RSVP Required Open to the Public

The Soft Power & Cultural Diplomacy Study Group is designed for anyone interested in learning more about these two topics in addressing foreign relations. Over the course of four sessions, participants will become familiar with the history of cultural diplomacy and will better understand how the power of the arts has repeatedly been deployed by governments to help achieve foreign policy objectives. The group will analyze historical examples and hear from current practitioners. Furthermore, the group will be asked to envision future uses of cultural diplomacy as a tactic for addressing current foreign policy challenges.

Key Learning Outcomes

Participants will:

Gain an understanding of cultural diplomacy and its relevance to the government and artistic sector. Learn about important global cultural diplomacy initiatives and analyze their outcomes. Explore the use of cultural diplomacy and soft power as tools to further U.S. foreign policy objectives. Understand public diplomacy and how it differs from cultural diplomacy Assess present-day foreign affairs and national security challenges in a cultural context, and consider how cultural diplomacy and soft power can play a role in seeking resolutions. Discuss why cultural diplomacy is not always successful and what can be done to prevent this from happening.

Study Group Facilitators: 

Carla Dirlikov Canales, United States Department of State Cultural Envoy, Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative Fellow (carla_dirlikovcanales@harvard.edu) Erika Manouselis, Research and Administrative Manager, Future of Diplomacy Project (Erika_manouselis@hks.harvard.edu)

Date: Location: Online
Carla Dirlikov Canales

ABOUT

Session 1 - Creating a Public Diplomacy Strategy

Friday, February 18th, 10:30am-12pm ET

Virtual: Zoom

Part I: An Analysis of Successful Cultural Strategies

Part II: Public Diplomacy under President Obama: Lessons Learned

Guest Speaker: Richard Stengel

Richard Stengel was the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs from 2013-2016. Before working at the State Department, he was the editor of Time for seven years, from 2006-2013. From 1992 to 1994, he collaborated with Nelson Mandela on the South African leader’s autobiography Long Walk to Freedom. Stengel later wrote Mandela’s Way, a New York Times bestseller, on his experience working with Mandela. He is an MSNBC political analyst. His most recent book is Information Wars: How We Lost the Global Battle Against Disinformation & What We Can Do About It.

Session 2 - Creating a Cultural Diplomacy Strategy

Friday, February 25th, 10:30am-12pm ET

Virtual: Zoom

Part I: Quantifying Metrics for Cultural Diplomacy

Part II: The War in Ukraine

Guest Speaker: David Rothkopf, CEO of The Rothkopf Group, a media company that produces podcasts including Deep State Radio

Session 3 - Cultural Preservation in the 21st Century

Friday, March 4th, 10:30am-12pm ET

Virtual: Zoom

Part I: Using Technology to Preserve Culture

Part II: The Role of Culture in the 21st Century

Guest Speaker: Irina Bokova, Professor Sciences Po, former Director General UNESCO

Irina Bokova, born in Sofia (Bulgaria), has been two terms the Director-General of UNESCO from 2009 to 2017. As Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova was actively engaged in the efforts to promote culture as a driver for sustainable development on the UN Agenda 2030, adopted in 2015.

She was particularly active in the defence of cultural heritage in conflict in Mali, Syria and Iraq and in denouncing extremists’ destruction of heritage as a tool of war, which lead to the adoption by the UN Security Council of several land mark resolutions on the link between maintaining peace, security and the protection of cultural heritage.

She has received state distinctions from more than 40 countries across the world and is Doctor honoris causa of leading universities across the world, such as King’s College and University of Edinburgh, UK, Paris-Sud Saclay, France, Boston University, US, Catholic University of Milan, Italy, Tonji University, China, among others.

She was on the Forbes list of most influential women for 2016. In May 2020, she was elected as International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.  

Currently, she is Member of the Board of “Ban Ki Moon Centre for Global Citizens”, Member of the Concordia Leadership Council, New York, Lecturer on “Cultural Diplomacy” at the Paris School of International Affairs /PSIA/, SciencesPo, Visiting Lecturer at the University of Geneva, Member of the Board of Governors of the United Nations University of Peace, Costa Rica, among other activities.

Session 4 - A New Vision for Culture

Friday, March 25th, 2022, 10:30am-12pm EST

Virtual: Zoom

Part I: Museums in a Post Pandemic World

Part II: The U.S. Department of State's Cultural Diplomacy Strategy

Guest Speaker: Lee Satterfield, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs 

Lee Satterfield is Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), leading the State Department’s global efforts to engage individuals through academic, cultural, professional, sports, and youth exchanges. Previously, Ms. Satterfield was President and Chief Operating Officer at Meridian International Center, a non-profit center for diplomacy that strengthens engagement between the United States and the world. At Meridian she directed daily operations and spearheaded major strategic initiatives, including the launch of the Center for Diplomatic Engagement, the Center for Global Leadership, an organization-wide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Taskforce and the expansion of cultural diplomacy programs. She previously served in the Obama Administration as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Prior to that, Ms. Satterfield was Deputy Chief of Protocol of the United States. In the Clinton Administration, Ms. Satterfield held several senior positions including Chief of Staff to Secretary Alexis Herman at the Labor Department, and Special Assistant to the President and Staff Director for The White House Office of Public Liaison. A native South Carolinian, Satterfield graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

 

Suggested Reading

Excerpts to be selected from the following:

  1. The First Resort of Kings; American Cultural Diplomacy in the Twentieth Century; Richard T Arndt
  2. Economics and Culture; David Throsby
  3. Cultural Diplomacy; Waging War by Other Means Vol 1; Frans A.M. Alting von Geusau
  4. Soft Power: The Means To Success In World Politics; Joseph Nye
  5. Information Wars; Richard Stengel