First published on 18.11.2012. In many ways the Republic of Korea (or South Korea) is on a roll in terms of its positive global image. In soft power terms, it has found an unlikely source of attraction in Psy —…
Blog Archives
Examining South Korea’s Global (Psy)chology As A Mix Of High Ambition And A Sensitive Legacy
Posted in Celebrity Activism, Diplomacy
The Presidential Race Was No Contest On The Celebrity Scorecard
First published on 10.11.2012 Nate Silver enhanced his already impressive reputation by his prediction in his FiveThirtyEight forecast that President Barack Obama had a 90.9 % chance of winning last week’s US election (NY Times, Nov. 10). In quantitative terms,…
Posted in Celebrity Activism
Argo As A Lens Into Perceptions Of The Canadian Role In The World
First published on 02.11.2012. Argo’s treatment of the escape from Tehran of six US embassy staff in January 1980 offers ample psychological compensation for the image of American vulnerability. In this respect, the movie’s dealing with this episode is part…
Where Does Individual Agency Come From In International Relations? Is Argo Reality? (part 1)
First published on 24.10.2012. In the analysis of international relations, agency is back in. That is to say, instead of simply viewing the underlying structural context as dominant, space has opened up for the role of individuals. Yet this turn…
Leader’s Tweets Offer A Distorted Tip In Assessing eDiplomacy
First published on 17.09.2012. Publications sometime hit on an important topic that leaves more questions than answers. A good illustration is the release over the summer of a study from the PR firm Burson- Marsteller on “Twiplomacy.” How diplomats respond…
Posted in Celebrity Activism, Diplomacy
A Long Apprenticeship Distinguishes Successful Celebrities Turned Politicians
First published on 09.09.2012. The relationship between celebrities from the entertainment/sports world and politics is fraught with difficulty. Celebrities have been drawn repeatedly into political life on a global basis. Yet an image remains of unpredictability and under-performance. When Clint…
Posted in Celebrity Activism
How Should We Mark The Brics In Terms Of Artistic Expression?
First published on 07.08.2012. There is an ongoing debate about the logic of using acronyms for clustering ascendant or rising states. The BRICS – a concept originally formulated by Goldman Sachs as BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and translated…
Posted in Brics, Celebrity Activism
London Olympics
First published on 25.07.2012. The political dimensions of the London Olympics will be far more unpredictable than in previous years. Traditionally the divisions were rigid ones, based on Cold War rivalries or some other major fault lines of importance to…
Posted in Celebrity Activism, Diplomacy
Summits, Regime Change, And The Olympics: Managing Messiness In Global Activities
First published on 24.07.2012. We commonly talk about the management of order in international relations. In the Cold War era this was a natural phenomenon due to the degree of stability and rules imposed by East/West bipolarity. The US’s (surprisingly…
Posted in Celebrity Activism, Diplomacy
Celebrity Culture Rescues Obama… Again
First published on 19.05.2012. Celebrity culture has moved beyond its winter of discontent with President Obama. Only a few months ago it seemed that Obama was losing his tight grip over the world of entertainment, and especially liberal Hollywood. Matt…
Posted in Celebrity Activism
