(Palgrave Macmillan)
23 August 2014. A new book by PDAA member Amb. William A. Rugh, Front Line Public Diplomacy, describes the practice of public diplomacy by U.S. embassies, as they deal with more channels of communications and encounter sophisticated use of those channels by adversaries. According to publisher Palgrave Macmillan, the book:
… analyzes the communication tools our public diplomacy professionals use, and how they employ interpersonal and language skills to engage our critics. It shows how they overcome obstacles erected by unfriendly governments, and explains that diplomats do not simply to reiterate set policy formulations but engage a variety of people from different cultures in a creative ways to increase their understanding of America.
A review on Amazon.com by PDAA member Elizabeth Whitaker, a former senior public diplomacy officer, now teaching at George Washington and Georgetown universities says, “Amb. Rugh presents a comprehensive, current and insightful overview of US public diplomacy field operations, filling a long-vacant niche in real-world PD resources for professors and students.” The book is available in hard cover and e-book formats.
Amb. Rugh is a 31-year foreign service officer, who served as U.S. ambassador to Yemen and United Arab Emirates. He served as president of the non-government organization AMIDEAST and is a visiting professor of public diplomacy at Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
