Saman Fatima
Countries are always concerned about their reputations and how the other countries take them, the way other nations think about domestic perceptions of culture, intentions and policies. The article mainly focuses on the constructivist school of thought; the identity can change by incorporating cosmopolitan values in the society which in turn will bring a change in the minds of public, resulting in favorable and positive image projection of the state which is the primary aim of public diplomacy. Public diplomacy can be successful by addressing the construction of cosmopolitan ideas and identities in their societies and cultures.In public diplomatic terms, this would indicate emphasizing the long-term foreign policy goals and objectives, where countries do not expect to become friends with each other overnight or immediately, actually trying to encourage and engage their societies to join in a process of societal exchanges and common understanding where team-play and non-violence are the norm.
The image of a nation is critical in the conduct of international relations. As an emerging and rising power, China is continuously and increasingly concerned about its image, due to which it is increasingly investing and advancing into its public diplomacy. Public diplomacy has become one of the important part of China’s overall diplomacy in last few years. China recognize the international environment potentially aggressive, and China wants to be seen by the outside world as a peaceful, friendly, and reliable partner. Although the non-Chinese address its focuses on exchange, mutuality, and reciprocal communication, China is more concerned with getting its message out and convincing the world of its benign ,soft and gentle intentions.
The People’s Republic of China is a great example to understand the process of identity change through socialization. The public diplomacy efforts of China are directed at representing China as a country with Cosmopolitan values and a vision of peaceful rise rather than portraying it as a hegemony. China despite of the fact it issues warnings against nations who claim their rights in South China Sea and in addition having their naval forces there, they still claim themselves to be a peacefully rising nation.
China’s rise as peaceful is also effectively being portrayed by using economic opportunities to other businesses abroad and creating a positive image in their minds rather than a threat. China uses its public diplomacy to be seen as striving for a harmonious world and to give its people a better life and to be seen as a reliable, stable economic power that does not have to be feared.
Whereas, United States has spent a huge sum of amount on foreign aid programs, it has caught neither the fondness nor reverence of the rest of the world. In most of the countries, USA is neither adored nor valued. United States is both admired and resented at the same time. United States has projected a lack of acceptability and respect towards the perceptions, attitudes and opinions of other people abroad. The bureaucratic and hegemonic thinking of US leadership sets itself back in gaining a favorable opinion of people around the globe.
The US military campaign in Afghanistan and continuous negative perceptions of USA worldwide, and especially in the Arab and Muslim world suggests that the state has failed to use the potential of public diplomacy and soft power. Therefore the outcome of the war on terrorism depends not on the failures or success in the battlefield, but on ability and capability to win people’s hearts and minds. This is because USA has always been projecting herself as a power, a hegemonic and a dominant state dictating rest of the world in contrast to China’s peaceful rise notion. The solution is using “soft powerâ€, which is about changing minds, people’s perceptions as many Arabs misunderstand, fear or oppose American policies. But now with the shift in the dynamics of world affairs and with peaceful rise of China which is a major threat to USA supremacy and power they came to realize that public opinion now needs to be shifted and moved by combining and incorporating more cosmopolitan values in order to withstand and gain public favorable opinion. United States’ public diplomacy now requires new ways and dimensions, decision-making procedures and new thinking. The policy is there, had been created, speeches are delivered, press releases are given, press conferences are held but all the focus remains on US own goals and its media. Many of the messages are delivered through a relatively restricted official diplomats majorly focusing on foreign audience or international institutions whereas, for its public diplomacy to be effective US needs to incorporate general foreign public as well as it is public that now influences states in its foreign policy more than merely another government or organization. And once the identity of US in the minds of general public is transformed through the feeling of goodwill brought in by cosmopolitan values then the state relations can also move towards friendship and harmony and can lead towards an effective public diplomacy. Being aware of the fact that people and countries always pursue their economic, military, or political interests and objectives that take preference over just being friends is the goal. The demand here is not for a single-minded cosmopolitan constructivist foreign policy or diplomatic activity, as no one could reasonably propose that all foreign policies must be only based on these universalistic principles. It is just that very little of cosmopolitanism in public and cultural diplomacies worldwide is practiced. But all foreign policies should begin developing and nurturing the universalistic and cosmopolitan values already embedded deeply in their own diplomacies those just have to be explored in a right manner. In truth, a significant share of the activities in public diplomacy is addressed to manipulation, persuasion, winning minds and hearts, and the selling of images and national brands. These actions emerge more from the logic required by the security or military beliefs, rather than as part of a citizen’s need for the promotion of diversity, exchanges and goodwill. United States now faces more challenges than just losing popularity simply. US mostly is seen bad among the Muslim world or states due to its harsh actions with them in past. For this US needs a more strategic approach focusing on the forces of mutual progress in order to change its identity in Muslim world thus, spreading to rest of the world.
Firstly, United States should promote values of good governance and democracy through its public diplomacy because the Muslim countries be them having different belief systems, still are more inclined towards such values.
Secondly, one form of policy adopted in public diplomatic sphere would not work for all the states. Even if it is only about Muslim world, the states there are quiet heterogeneous in terms of history, culture etc. Thus, their programs should be formulated in accordance and be applied on states in accordance to their priority.
Thirdly, US should support civil society actors around the world such as NGO’s and build closer alliances and help in case of crackdowns even when the governments are US allies. This would demonstrate that USA supports such programs that promote goodwill. For example, supports press freedoms of local media in other countries would do much more than simply starting another television station etc.
It is recommended that both USA and China should take a more flexible approach towards their public diplomacy to have a more positive global image. China, though have evolved a lot in its outlook towards engagement with others still needs to continue it with conviction and prove in actions as well that its rise is peaceful. USA on the other hand, since 9/11 have worked greatly to improve its negative global image still should try to incorporate more cosmopolitan values in its public diplomacy so that the world knows that their leader actually wants their betterment and not merely projects its own power and hegemony.
Cosmopolitan Constructivism thus can help in constructing and developing long-lasting friendly relation among states by inviting their societies to learn and develop from each other in the construction of cosmopolitan cultural attitudes. The cosmopolitan view is not just simply given, countries must work hard against blindness and prejudice. Cosmopolitans should have a sense of commitment to belonging to the world as a whole, suggesting that a cosmopolitan agenda of environmental concerns, human rights, cultural integration and political and economic progressive demands, can be a link to the development of friendly relations among states and peoples in a challenging global culture.
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