The most ambitious book on public diplomacy to date will be released officially at a book signing on November 7, 2007. The Public Diplomacy Reader is a 500-page compendium of quotes, documents, essays, and other materials on a key element of the international war of ideas.
Edited by Dr. J. Michael Waller, Annenberg Professor of International Communication at The Institute of World Politics (IWP), The Public Diplomacy Reader is the first in the IWP course reader series.
This book provides a rare glimpse into a misunderstood art form: the art of communicating with foreign publics to influence international perceptions, attitudes, and policies. Like any art form, the real definition of public diplomacy is subjective and can play a vital role in the conduct of public service, military, corporate, and academic behaviors. Rather than attempt to create a specific definition of public diplomacy, Dr. Waller uses some of the most insightful and historically significant writings, statements, and official documents from a variety of professional disciplines and political perspectives, enabling the reader to develop and define his or her own sense of what the field is all about.
Realizing that the subject matter covers a lot of ground beginning with the ancient Greeks, the author explains, "This book makes no pretensions about completeness. I found it very difficult to keep it under 500 pages of text. A shorter work, however, would not be of benefit to the user. My aim here was to erase the void in the availability of a single volume, useful primer on public diplomacy, straight from the leading thinkers and practitioners across time and cultures."
Dr. Waller will be available for book purchasing and signing at the Institute's campus at 1521 16th Street NW, Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, November 7, from 5-6:30 pm. The book is for sale for $35 on Amazon.com, or available for a $20 cash or check donation at the signing. RSVPs are strongly encouraged.