US State Department – IPDGC Smart Power

By Brian O’Rourke

Established in 1961, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs works to establish cultural exchanges between the United States and other countries around the world. Through academic, professional, athletic, and artistic exchanges, the ECA allows people from around the world to experience life in the United States and Americans to experience life in a variety of other countries. Through these exchanges the ECA fosters deep, meaningful relations between countries and is able to advance diplomacy through genuine connection between cultures.

In this PDx interview, GW third-year student Brian O’Rourke talks to Acting Assistant Secretary Lussenhop about the importance of cultural exchange programs in US diplomacy at large and the role of public diplomacy in strengthening relationships between countries.

Matthew Lussenhop serves as the Acting Assistant Secretary of the ECA. He has served as a Foreign Service Officer since 1990. His career in Public Diplomacy has extended from serving as Public Affairs Counselor in the US Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan to the Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy to Belgium. And he has held positions in various US embassies including Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Kuwait; Muscat, Oman; Rabat, Morocco; Sofia, Bulgaria; and Manila, Philippines.

Lussenhop also discusses the importance of cultural exchange programs in US diplomacy at large and the role of public diplomacy in strengthening relationships between countries. He explains how the ECA’s cultural exchange programs have been impacted by COVID 19 and his own experience as a Foreign Service Officer.

Enjoy the PDx episode: Building enduring networks: The ECA

Brian O’Rourke is a student in the SMPA 3350 Public Diplomacy class taught by Public Diplomacy Fellow Emilia A. Puma. He is an undergraduate student in International Affairs and Political Communication, Class of 2022.

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the interviewer. They do not express the views of the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication or the George Washington University.

… only darkness everyday (until someone gets confirmed, at least).

Rumors began to fly online on April 23rd, and today, April 24, The Washington Post politics blog said that Tara Sonenshine, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs at the State Department, will be leaving her post in July. It has not been made public what her next position will be, although the Post noted she’s “likely headed to an academic or media gig”.

Let’s recap the Under Secretaries in that position over the last 10 years:

Margaret Tutweiler: December 2003 – June 2004 (7 months)
(14 month vacancy)
Karen Hughes: September 2005 – December 2007 (27 months)
(5 month vacancy)
James K. Glassman: June 2008 – January 2009 (7 months)
(4 month vacancy)
Judith McHale: May 2009 – July 2011 (26 months)
(6 month vacancy)
Kathleen Stephens (Acting): February 2012 – April 2012 (2 months)
Tara Sonenshine: April 2012 – July 2013 (15 months)

In the last ten years, the United States has had only two presidents, but has had six Under Secretaries at the helm of what is increasingly regarded as a very important piece of U.S. foreign policy (public diplomacy). The shelf life of these people (not including Stephens) averages to less than a year and a half. In addition, approximately 29 months of the last decade, the seat has been empty, which is maybe the saddest fact of the entire situation. And likely, it will see many more months of vacancy after July, due to the incredible hassle of confirmation in today’s Congress.

So, my question is, “What exactly is driving these people away?”.

I understand that it has historically been an appointed position (which many say is a flaw in itself), but what is it about U.S. public diplomacy that makes it so we can’t even keep someone for a single Presidential term?

Is the job too difficult because one simply can’t easily defend U.S. foreign policy over the last decade? Are the appointees, many from the more efficient private sector (including Sonenshine) too bogged down by bureaucracy? Is promoting the image of the U.S. to foreign countries a lost cause?

I don’t know the answers to those questions, nor will I opine thoughts about them. But the current level of rotation of the top public diplomacy position in the U.S. surely is not helping our cause, for obvious reasons. Internationally, it reflects poorly that people keep quitting a job that our long-held American exceptionalist ideals would lead people to believe is virtuous and done with ease. Internally, State Department officials have to deal with every newly confirmed Under Secretary coming in and mixing things around–“making their mark” in structure and programming. And for the American people, it creates breaks in the links of the PD machine, which serve to promote understanding and create security for us at home.

It would be wise of President Obama to swiftly nominate someone who he thinks will stick around, at least until the end of his term. For everyone’s sake.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIdIqbv7SPo]

Tag: US State Department

Building Enduring Networks: The ECA

Ain’t No Sonenshine When She’s Gone…