Intersections Between Public Diplomacy & International Development: Case Studies in Converging Fields

This volume originated out of a discussion with the British
Council a few years ago. In light of changes to their grant-in-aid
in 2010, nearly two thirds of their governmental funding is now
comprised of Official Development Assistance (oda). I asked what
difference there was between the work that was conducted as cultural
relations and the work that was budgeted as aid. The answer was
that the same programs were being conducted around the world, but
that they were charged to the aid budget in oda-eligible countries. In
other words, conceptually and practically there was little difference.
As I spoke with more practitioners in the region, it became clear that
this was a pattern in 21st century public diplomacy that deserved
further investigation. However, it was also clear that academic and
practitioner discourses around public diplomacy and aid were so
distinct that any attempts to make sense of their similarities would
require significant groundwork.