Evaluate the Success of the Obama Administration's Public Diplomacy
Evaluate the success of the Obama Administration’s public diplomacy
By Venita Subramanian
Abstract Public Diplomacy is seen by many as a governing factor of Obama’s foreign policy, “the soft power president”. In an attempt to improve the public image of the United States, Barrack Obama addresses his global audience through his various speeches and campaigns in support of his foreign policy agenda. Although the speeches seem to be over ambitious and targeted, the administration is often seen struggling to deliver.
This essay has been premised around the argument that there exists a direct relationship between the impact of foreign policy of a country and its public diplomacy, and the existing imbalance between the two in view of the U.S foreign policy under the Obama administration. This essay has been structured into three main analyses, with the first one focusing on the incoherence of the U.S. foreign policy and its scrutiny by scholars in this field of research. The second focus is predicated based on the existing imbalance between policy and public diplomacy, and finally the view on Obama’s message to the Arab world. The essay further concludes with some key recommendations. The argument in this essay is in isolation from the Wikileaks cable leakage to maintain strict focus on the role played by the Obama administration in maintaining their strategic relations. Although Wikileaks is currently playing a major role in tarnishing U.S.’ global standing, the leak, according to the author, has no direct implication to U.S. public engagement efforts. Wikileaks however, reiterates the existing “say-do gap” between policy and diplomacy.
In the CNAS America’s Extended handbook, Lynch examines the extent to which Obama’s public engagement strategy has been successful. “Public engagement is no silver bullet. If policies are unpopular, no amount of snazzy marketing will make them beloved. If national interests are fundamentally at odds, no amount of dialogue will
By Venita Subramanian
Abstract Public Diplomacy is seen by many as a governing factor of Obama’s foreign policy, “the soft power president”. In an attempt to improve the public image of the United States, Barrack Obama addresses his global audience through his various speeches and campaigns in support of his foreign policy agenda. Although the speeches seem to be over ambitious and targeted, the administration is often seen struggling to deliver.
This essay has been premised around the argument that there exists a direct relationship between the impact of foreign policy of a country and its public diplomacy, and the existing imbalance between the two in view of the U.S foreign policy under the Obama administration. This essay has been structured into three main analyses, with the first one focusing on the incoherence of the U.S. foreign policy and its scrutiny by scholars in this field of research. The second focus is predicated based on the existing imbalance between policy and public diplomacy, and finally the view on Obama’s message to the Arab world. The essay further concludes with some key recommendations. The argument in this essay is in isolation from the Wikileaks cable leakage to maintain strict focus on the role played by the Obama administration in maintaining their strategic relations. Although Wikileaks is currently playing a major role in tarnishing U.S.’ global standing, the leak, according to the author, has no direct implication to U.S. public engagement efforts. Wikileaks however, reiterates the existing “say-do gap” between policy and diplomacy.
In the CNAS America’s Extended handbook, Lynch examines the extent to which Obama’s public engagement strategy has been successful. “Public engagement is no silver bullet. If policies are unpopular, no amount of snazzy marketing will make them beloved. If national interests are fundamentally at odds, no amount of dialogue will
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