The Center for Culture and Freedom is a collaborative effort between The Institute of World Politics and Asia America Initiative (AAI), a nonprofit that strives to develop communities affected by poverty, natural disaster, and armed conflict. The Center combines the IWP faculty’s rare expertise in public diplomacy with the field of experience of AAI.
The Center’s programs emphasize the pursuit of peace and security with an awareness of the varied cultures and historical forces that shape global events. It focuses on people-to-people interaction, mutual understanding, and humanitarian assistance as pillars for alliances against tyranny and to counter anti-American and anti-Western radicalization. Its efforts have had remarkable success in preventing Islamist radicalization. IWP students serve as interns at AAI as part of a practicum program augmenting their studies in public diplomacy and counter-terrorism.
Current Program Emphasis
The Center’s global reach is centered on the role of civil engagement through medical intervention and public health responses in areas of intensive poverty, and the destructive impact of climate change and armed conflict.
The Center pursues the following projects:
Interactive Roundtables
Roundtable discussions involving subject matter experts open to policy makers and the IWP community to gain a better understanding of the role of history, culture, and politics that shape critical issues related to international relations and security.
Student Discussion Forums
Regular presentations by current and former students from IWP, local high schools and places of worship, neighboring universities, and international visitors – both U.S. and foreign – sharing their experiences, particularly in the areas of peer engagement, public diplomacy, and cultural interaction that provides cultural awareness and mutual respect.
Public Lectures
Public lectures by international experts on subjects of vital concern to international relations, national security, and global human needs.
Full Spectrum Diplomacy, Communications, and Culture
Panels or speakers that can articulate the whole of government approach with the inclusion of private sector experts in particular countries or cultures vital to international development and security.
Cultural Engagement in Action
Developing a comprehensive website on cultural engagement, to complement in-person activities; and a project in a challenging community of the Washington metropolitan area where IWP students can work with local youth and community leaders to promote community and personal development.
Analysis and Crisis Research
In-depth research into key areas of global conflict, cultural instability, and at-risk communities. This research will review how internal instability and foreign instigators use cultural manipulation to negatively affect global security. These student-researched articles, papers, and/or indexes would be maintained at the Center to support future research by IWP students. The Center will also promote social media, including blogs, on these issues. Furthermore, the Center will promote the publication of these research topics in journals and other mass media sources.