Isolate or Engage: Adversarial States, US Foreign Policy & Public DiplomacyA book talk with Geoffrey Wiseman, Professor of the Practice of International Relations at USCPlease upgrade to a browser that supports HTML5 audio or install Flash. Download PodcastDuration: 00:53:13Wiseman-Podcast-10.05.15-v2-gzi.mp3Transcript * This might take a few seconds to load.ABOUT THE BOOK The U.S. government has essentially two choices when dealing with adversarial states—isolate them or engage them. Isolate or Engage systematically examines the challenges to and opportunities for U.S. diplomatic relations with nine intensely adversarial states—China, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, U.S.S.R./Russia, Syria, Venezuela, and Vietnam: states where the situation is short of conventional war and where the U.S. maintains limited or no formal diplomatic relations with the government. In such circumstances, "public diplomacy"—the means by which the U.S. engages with citizens in other countries so they will push their own governments to adopt less hostile and more favorable views of U.S. foreign policies—becomes extremely important for shaping the context within which the adversarial government makes important decisions affecting U.S. national security interests. At a time when the norm of not talking to the enemy is a matter of public debate, the book examines the role of both traditional and public diplomacy with adversarial states and reviews the costs and benefits of U.S. diplomatic engagement with the publics of these countries. It concludes that while public diplomacy is not a panacea for easing conflict in interstate relations, it is one of many productive channels that a government can use in order to stay informed about the status of its relations with an adversarial state, and to seek to improve those relations. ABOUT THE SPEAKER Dr. Wiseman is Professor of the Practice of International Relations at the University of Southern California. In 2006–07, he was on secondment to the Strategic Planning Unit of the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General, dealing with issues involving nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament. In 2008-09, he was director of the USC Center on Public Diplomacy. Dr. Wiseman is a former Australian diplomat, serving in three diplomatic postings (Stockholm, Hanoi, and Brussels) and as private secretary to the Foreign Minister, Gareth Evans. He has also worked in the philanthropic sector, serving as program officer in the Ford Foundations's International Affairs program, based in New York City. He received his doctorate in International Relations from Oxford University, and has had visiting fellowships at the Australian National University, Yale University, and the Pacific Council on International Policy. At USC, Dr. Wiseman teaches Leadership & Diplomacy; Global Civil Society: Non-State Actors in World Politics; Transnational Diplomacy & Global Security; Theories of Diplomacy; and The United Nations and World Order. Dr. Wiseman’s research interests are diplomatic theory and practice; international security; and Asia-Pacific regional security, including Australia. Dr. Wiseman has co-edited a textbook, with Pauline Kerr of the Australian National University, entitled Diplomacy in a Globalizing World: Theories and Practices (Oxford University Press 2013). He has co-edited a book (with Paul Sharp) entitled The Diplomatic Corps as an Institution of International Society (Palgrave Macmillan). He is co-editor (also with Paul Sharp) of a book entitled American Diplomacy (Brill Publishers). Earlier publications include Concepts of Non-Provocative Defence: Ideas and Practices in International Security. His recent articles have been on the “Distinguishing Characteristics of American Diplomacy",” and “Polylateralism: Diplomacy's Third Dimension.” He has recently written book chapters on “Diplomacy,” “The United Nations,” "Engaging the Enemy: An Essential Norm for Sustainable US Diplomacy,” and on “Norms and Diplomacy: The Diplomatic Underpinnings of Multilateralism.” His edited book on Adversarial States, US Foreign Policy, and Public Diplomacy (Stanford University Press) was published in mid-2015. His new article on "Diplomatic Practices at the United Nations" is now available online and will appear in print in the journal Cooperation and Conflict later in 2015.Published: Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Please upgrade to a browser that supports HTML5 audio or install Flash. Download PodcastDuration: 00:53:13Wiseman-Podcast-10.05.15-v2-gzi.mp3Transcript * This might take a few seconds to load.ABOUT THE BOOK The U.S. government has essentially two choices when dealing with adversarial states—isolate them or engage them. Isolate or Engage systematically examines the challenges to and opportunities for U.S. diplomatic relations with nine intensely adversarial states—China, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, U.S.S.R./Russia, Syria, Venezuela, and Vietnam: states where the situation is short of conventional war and where the U.S. maintains limited or no formal diplomatic relations with the government. In such circumstances, "public diplomacy"—the means by which the U.S. engages with citizens in other countries so they will push their own governments to adopt less hostile and more favorable views of U.S. foreign policies—becomes extremely important for shaping the context within which the adversarial government makes important decisions affecting U.S. national security interests. At a time when the norm of not talking to the enemy is a matter of public debate, the book examines the role of both traditional and public diplomacy with adversarial states and reviews the costs and benefits of U.S. diplomatic engagement with the publics of these countries. It concludes that while public diplomacy is not a panacea for easing conflict in interstate relations, it is one of many productive channels that a government can use in order to stay informed about the status of its relations with an adversarial state, and to seek to improve those relations. ABOUT THE SPEAKER Dr. Wiseman is Professor of the Practice of International Relations at the University of Southern California. In 2006–07, he was on secondment to the Strategic Planning Unit of the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General, dealing with issues involving nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament. In 2008-09, he was director of the USC Center on Public Diplomacy. Dr. Wiseman is a former Australian diplomat, serving in three diplomatic postings (Stockholm, Hanoi, and Brussels) and as private secretary to the Foreign Minister, Gareth Evans. He has also worked in the philanthropic sector, serving as program officer in the Ford Foundations's International Affairs program, based in New York City. He received his doctorate in International Relations from Oxford University, and has had visiting fellowships at the Australian National University, Yale University, and the Pacific Council on International Policy. At USC, Dr. Wiseman teaches Leadership & Diplomacy; Global Civil Society: Non-State Actors in World Politics; Transnational Diplomacy & Global Security; Theories of Diplomacy; and The United Nations and World Order. Dr. Wiseman’s research interests are diplomatic theory and practice; international security; and Asia-Pacific regional security, including Australia. Dr. Wiseman has co-edited a textbook, with Pauline Kerr of the Australian National University, entitled Diplomacy in a Globalizing World: Theories and Practices (Oxford University Press 2013). He has co-edited a book (with Paul Sharp) entitled The Diplomatic Corps as an Institution of International Society (Palgrave Macmillan). He is co-editor (also with Paul Sharp) of a book entitled American Diplomacy (Brill Publishers). Earlier publications include Concepts of Non-Provocative Defence: Ideas and Practices in International Security. His recent articles have been on the “Distinguishing Characteristics of American Diplomacy",” and “Polylateralism: Diplomacy's Third Dimension.” He has recently written book chapters on “Diplomacy,” “The United Nations,” "Engaging the Enemy: An Essential Norm for Sustainable US Diplomacy,” and on “Norms and Diplomacy: The Diplomatic Underpinnings of Multilateralism.” His edited book on Adversarial States, US Foreign Policy, and Public Diplomacy (Stanford University Press) was published in mid-2015. His new article on "Diplomatic Practices at the United Nations" is now available online and will appear in print in the journal Cooperation and Conflict later in 2015.