The History of United States Cultural Diplomacy: 1770 to the Present Day

Description

In the wake of 9/11, the United States government rediscovered the value of culture in international relations, sending cultural ambassadors around the world to promote the American way of life. This is the most recent effort to use American culture as a means to convince others that the United States is a land of freedom, equality, opportunity, and scientific and cultural achievements to match its material wealth and military prowess. In The History of United States Cultural Diplomacy Michael Krenn charts the history of the cultural diplomacy efforts from Benjamin Franklin's service as commissioner to France in the 1770s through to the present day. He explores how these efforts were sometimes inspiring, often disastrous, and nearly always controversial attempts to tell the 'truth' about America. This is the first comprehensive study of America’s efforts in the field of cultural diplomacy. It reveals a dynamic conflict between those who view U.S. culture as a means to establish meaningful dialogues with the rest of the world and those who consider American art, music, theater as additional propaganda weapons. Cover Contents Series Editor Preface Acknowledgments Introduction 1 Identity Crisis and the Beginnings of U.S. Cultural Diplomacy 2 From the Cowboy to the Aristocrat: The Early Twentieth-Century Foundations of U.S. Cultural Diplomacy 3 The Truth about America 4 The Golden Age of Cultural Diplomacy, 1953–1961 5 The Slow Death of American Cultural Diplomacy, 1961–1999 Conclusion: The Soul of a Nation Notes Bibliography Index