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

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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.

Reviews

Krenn skillfully summarizes and synthesizes the work of many scholars in his compact book, which also draws on his own previous work on U.S. art exhibitions and African American diplomats. * Journal of World History *
[A] gracefully written, solidly researched survey. Summing Up: Recommended. All academic levels/libraries; professionals. * CHOICE *
Michael Krenn has provided an approachable, entertaining introduction to the history of cultural diplomacy. He synthesizes both classic and more recent scholarship and offers sound judgements on the ways that cultural diplomacy has and has not succeeded as a tool of U.S. foreign policy. * Laura Belmonte, Oklahoma State University, USA *
Michael Krenn, a key figure among historians of U.S. cultural diplomacy for over a decade, has delivered the most sweeping survey of that field to date. In so doing, he considerably expands the very definition of the term, uncovering its roots in the earliest days of the nation. This book provides an excellent starting point for anyone interested in approaching the subject of U.S. cultural diplomacy and it will surely inspire new research, particularly into the pre-Second World War elements of that story. * Justin Hart, Associate Professor and Associate Chair of History, Texas Tech University, USA *
This fascinating study reveals that the nations export of cultural artifacts coincided with the desire to form an identity on the part of a melee of non-state actors long before the 20th century. Skillfully juxtaposing international strategy and domestic inferiority, Krenn shows that in the final analysis there may not be much of a line between cultural and diplomatic history left. A must-read for anyone interested in the chronology of U.S. cultural diplomacy! * Jessica Gienow-Hecht, Professor of History, Free University of Berlin, Germany *

Author Bio

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