The Future of U.S. Public Diplomacy: An Uncertain Fate

Public diplomacy has never been more important in international relations. Yet, public diplomacy's future as a valued national resource and a respected profession is far from certain. Lingering historical misperceptions and contemporary debate regarding public diplomacy's role and value in protecting and advancing national and international interests threaten public diplomacy's advancement on both fronts. Grounded in public relations theory and steeped in common sense, this book advances the global debate on public diplomacy's future by documenting the intellectual and practical development of public diplomacy in the United States and analyzing key challenges ahead. The author's fresh perspective provides compelling insights into public diplomacy's purpose and value, the conceptual foundations of the discipline, and principles of strategic practice. Based on extensive primary and secondary research, including a comprehensive survey of veteran U.S. public diplomats, the book reveals lessons learned from the U.S. experience in public diplomacy that will be critical in determining public diplomacy's fate in the United States and throughout the world.

Kathy R. Fitzpatrick, JD (1991), Southern Methodist University, is Professor of Public Relations and Director of Graduate Studies in Public Relations at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut, USA. She is a senior public relations advisor, an attorney, and a widely-published scholar whose research focuses on U.S. public diplomacy and legal and ethical issues in public relations.