Routledge Handbook on Public Diplomacy: errata

The first edition of any book has errors and the Routledge Handbook on Public Diplomacy is no exception. The first paragraph of my chapter, “Operationalizing Public Diplomacy”, should read:

American public diplomacy wears combat boots. Over the last two decades, American national security has increasingly relied on the threat of a muscular military, intelligence, and technological resources while ignoring more effective, and cheaper, tools of persuasion. The downward spiral of Iraq and Afghanistan, and plummeting public opinions of the United States around the world, suggests the U.S. has decoupled the “big stick” and “speaking softly” of Theodore Roosevelt’s time-tested adage without understanding its insight or utility. Fortunately, the value of speaking softly is being rediscovered, albeit by the Defense Department.

In the printed edition, the comma between “muscular military” and “intelligence” is missing. I didn’t meant to coin the phrase “muscular military intelligence,” which could be applied to Human Terrain Teams or PRTs, especially not in 2007 when I wrote the chapter.

There are other corrections, but that leapt out and needed to be addressed. Hopefully I’ll be able to fine-tune the chapter for the second edition, including updating some thoughts like new knowledge about the Smith-Mundt Act.

Update: the paperback is now available at Amazon.com (mouse over or click for price).