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

by Krenn, Michael L.; Zeiler, Thomas

• ISBN13: 9781472508607
• ISBN10: 1472508602
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2017-07-13
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic

Summary

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.

Author Biography

Michael L. Krenn is Professor of History at Appalachian State University, USA.

Table of Contents

Introduction
1. The Origins of U.S. Cultural Diplomacy
2. TR, the Smithsonian, and the Origins of Official U.S. Cultural Diplomacy
3. Rockefeller, Good Neighbors, and U.S.-Latin American Cultural Exchanges
4. What Race Problem?: Early Cold War Cultural Diplomacy
5. Jackson Pollock, Dizzy Gillespie, and Rock and Roll: Art as a Cold War Weapon
6. The Decline and Demise of American Cultural Diplomacy in the 1990s
Conclusion: 9/11 and the Revival of Cultural Diplomacy