U.S. Public Diplomacy in the Arab World

Abstract

This article explores the ways in which the debut of Undersecretary for State and Public Diplomacy Karen Hughes was covered in the Arab media. Her outreach efforts to market and rebrand the image of America in the Arab world were announced proudly on the Arab satellite television network Al-Jazeera before the news spread to other Arab media outlets. In making Al-Jazeera the preeminent choice for her first appearance to launch the campaign to win the hearts and minds of Arab publics, Karen Hughes implicitly and explicitly endorses or at the very least subscribes to part of Al-Jazeera's agenda. Through the choice of Al-Jazeera as gateway to the Arab public, Karen Hughes waters down her own opinions and in this case made concessions regarding vital policy issues of the U.S. administration.

Keywords

Al-Jazeera Arab media Karen Hughes public diplomacy symbolic power U.S. policy

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