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AMST40130

Academic Year 2024/2025

Public Diplomacy and Soft Power (AMST40130)

Subject:
American Studies
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
Centre For American Studies
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Professor Liam Kennedy
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
Blended
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module will analyse historical and emergent roles of public diplomacy as a form of political communication and as the “soft power” wing of foreign policy. It will consider the ways in which states seek to communicate with foreign publics and represent their interests via media and cultural channels. Key issues include: the evolution of public diplomacy; soft power and smart power; the impact of new media technologies on public diplomacy; diaspora diplomacy. We will examine ways in which public diplomacy strategies are tied to but also in tension with foreign policy initiatives.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

Students will learn about key ideas and concepts in public diplomacy. They will work with multidisciplinary sources and texts, and develop skills of critical analysis and interpretation.

Indicative Module Content:

Key issues include:

- strategic communications and information warfare
- the role of state-owned "international broadcasting"
- the promotion of educational and cultural programmes
- private/public networks and the role of non-state actors and NGOs in delivering and contesting public diplomacy goals
- the impact of new media technologies on public diplomacy

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

176
Seminar (or Webinar)

24
Total

200

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Classroom discussion based on assigned readings

Each student will make a formal presentation

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered

Not yet recorded.

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback provided both pre- and post-assessment

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