Abstract held great importance and was followed
AbstractThis paper aims to explain theimportance of international educational exchange as an instrument for culturaldiplomacy by focusing on The Fulbright Program which seeks to promote mutualunderstanding between people of the United States and the people of othercountries. It briefly defines cultural diplomacy and thereafter discusseswhether cultural diplomacy can be measured in such educational programmes andfinally determines the implications of the Fulbright programme.IntroductionIn cultural diplomacy, culturalactivities are used as a tool of diplomacy through which a nation’s idea ofitself is best represented1. It”helps create “a foundation of trust”with other peoples, which policy makers can build on to reach political,economic, and military agreements2”.In today’s world it has become even more significant to enhance broader mutualunderstanding between people and nations and the world’s leaders areincreasingly recognising the need for cultural diplomacy. Such need was alsofelt in the 1940s when the widely recognized and prestigious exchange program,The Fulbright Program, which was established by the U.S government by SenatorJ.
William Fulbright. In the context of the Cold War, the establishment ofFulbright held great importance and was followed by political expectations thateducational exchange accompanied by cultural exchange would deconstructstereotypes and foster an understanding of the “American way of living”.Furthermore, there was a reliance on the people as cultural ambassadors.
Accordingto their website:”The Fulbright Programawards approximately 8,000 grants annually. Roughly 1,600 U.S. students, 4,000foreign students, 1,200 U.S. scholars, and 900 visiting scholars receiveawards, in addition to several hundred teachers and professionals.Approximately 370,000 “Fulbrighters” have participated in the Programsince its inception in 19463″.
CD Case Analysis Historical Context Agent Agenda Vehicle Target Audience 1946 It was introduced by former Senator J. William. The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It is designed “to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries”.
(Fulbright-Hays Act, 1961). Using education and the exchange of ideas as a tool to promote and understanding. However,the question is, is the goal of promoting understanding between people of theUnited States and the people of other countries being achieved, and if so, howis it being achieved? How is it decided whether this programme has challengedstereotypical perceptions and images, and furthermore to which extent are theexpectations placed on cultural diplomacy ultimately met and outcomes aremeasured in different context. Where, when, and why has cultural diplomacy beensuccessful, and why is it more successful in some cases than others?AsArndt suggests in his book: From that first Fulbrightwe gained more than we gave, although it is difficult to quantify the utilityvalue of such exchange. Subsequent Fulbrights enabled us to give at least asmuch as we received, even if only measured by the quantity of my teachingduties. The applicants handbook of 1992-93 warns applicants “not to stresshow a Fulbright grant will benefit onlyyou and your career.
Remember that the program is intended to foster mutualunderstanding between cultures and nations”4. Itis difficult to define who benefits more from a cultural exchange, however allFulbrights generates mutual understanding. “Our teaching abroad hashelped us achieve an understanding that allows both our hosts and us to expresswhat we like and do not like about our respective societies and why.Understanding can never remove the potential for conflict. But it can andshould be expected to identify the bones of contention and to facilitate resolutionsthat work, at all levels of human organization.
” (122)ConclusionInconclusion, it is evident that cultural diplomacy tools such as The FulbrightProgram have been essential and will continue to play a large role in thefuture. As an outsider, we cannot the generated mutual understanding betweenthe Fulbright and the host country and it is a people-to-people to interactionwhere the understanding could also have led to a negative one. The Fulbright experiencediffers in the minds of its participants.”Wemust try to expand the boundaries of human wisdom, empathy andperception,and there is no way of doing that except through education.” Senator J.William.
1 www.state.gov 2 www.state.gov3 www.cies.org4 The Fulbright Difference
