The Role of Non-State Actors in Public Diplomacy: appearances can be deceptive

By J Thompson

John Brown, former Senior Foreign Service worker, comments on his blog (http://www.publicdiplomacypressandblogreview.blogspot.com/ 2011) in light of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Peace Corps Association about the success and external perception of such a group. Brown outlines US state support for the public diplomacy efforts of Peace Corp volunteers worldwide and the desire of Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Judith McHale, for a continued emphasis of the important role such non-state representatives have in relation to US diplomacy. McHale is quoted as highlighting the grass-roots approach of such ‘citizen diplomats’ and how such direct person-to-person contact can have a resounding positive impact on global perceptions of the US. The blog also offers a link, however, to an article composed by Brown in the Huffington Post which illustrates the detrimental effect that Peace Corp members may also have (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ 2011). In this context Brown indicates that a lack of education and understanding of contemporary issues affecting the host country may present an impression of an individual who has little or no concern for issues outside of the US, subsequently portraying a negative image and damaging public diplomacy efforts.

Brown also criticises roles undertaken by Peace Corp volunteers such as teaching english whereby the literacy levels of many American’s can be seen as questionable when compared with global standards, offering post-modern language derived from social networking sites and the like as contributing factors for the decline in US literary ability. Brown’s remarks in the Huffington Post illustrate that methods undertaken by the Peace Corps can be seen as non-bilateral and based upon a US driven monologue, likening such methods to the 20th century one-way propaganda strategies of the Cold War. Brown summarises by indicating that the US could utilise such dogmatic public diplomacy methods but in the reverse context whereby host countries may, for example, send highly achieving academic representatives to teach poorly performing US children basic math and english (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ 2011.

Other examples of public diplomacy are undertaken in less structured settings, an example of which can be given by a North Korean and Israeli friendship group that formed last year. While the Israeli branch is relatively new, the Korean Friendship Association (KFA), a North-Korean government affiliated organisation, has been in operation for some time and has groups all over the globe including South America, Europe and Asia (http://www.jpost.com/ 2011). While not supporting North Korea’s regime, the Israeli group affiliates express solidarity with the country due to attacks from ‘imperialist’ outsiders (ibid). Yerushalmi, the Israeli branch administrator, urges for a Palestinian Socialist territory and sees the friendship group as a means to overcome not only imperialist forces, but also the Arab-Israeli conflict. Despite this political undertone, the Korean and Israeli links formed, as with all other global KFA affiliates, have the primary objective of friendship and cultural exchange. The Jerusalem Post article indicates that while Yerushalmi’s views regarding the Israeli-Palestine situation may be somewhat extreme, they are by no means illegal and that the KFA have no governmental influence in either country.

While the KFA may initially appear misplaced within Israel due to contradictory governmental policies on both sides, at its most simplistic form, the friendship group appears to have global recognition and a level of success regarding the objective of cultural exchange. In this manner, although the North Korean government is affiliated, the KFA have apparent autonomy from the state and operate as a successful representation of public diplomacy at the non-state actor level. Such informal and unstructured relations, when compared to the Peace Corps examples of ‘one-way’ Cold War methods, can perhaps be deemed more appropriate in today’s globalised world and offer room for improvement in relation to US public diplomacy efforts. However, if nothing else, the Peace Corps and KFA indicate that there is a growing and continual link between the role and significance of non-state actors and the positive public diplomacy that such groups may have upon the global community.


Sources:

Brown, J., ‘Remarks at the Reception Marking of the 50th Anniversary of the Peace Corps’, John Brown’s Public Diplomacy Blog and Press Review available as of 15 March 2011 at http://publicdiplomacypressandblogreview.blogspot.com/

Brown, J. (11 March 2011), ‘Public Diplomacy: The World Should Be Teaching Us, Mr. Kristof’, The Huffington Post, available as of 15 March 2011 at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-brown/public-diplomacy-the-worl_b_495224.html

Hamerman, J. (11 March 2011), ‘Israelis form North Korea friendship group’, The Jerusalem Post, available as of 15 March 2011 at http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=211694

US Department of State: Diplomacy in Action (March 2011), ‘Remarks at the Reception Marking of the 50th Anniversary of the Peace Corps’, available as of 15 March 2011 at http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2011/03/158405.htm