Even when the situation seems most dire, the development process is never static. Bottom-up, local efforts help make the process…
Deserted in the Panama Canal, Exploring the Rose City, and Travelling the Globe in Forty Days: Firsthand Accounts from George Hermann in the Foreign Service
Foreign Service Officers are posted to positions abroad for terms of one, two, or three years depending on locality, demand,…
Ousted from Office for 47 Hours: the Failed 2002 Venezuelan Coup
Coups often do not go exactly as planned. While some result in military despotism and others in democratic reforms, some…
George Hermann “Christmas Time”
“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.” This part of a song would describe the Christmases spent by George…
Combating Illicit Trade in Ancient Art to Protect the Cultural Heritage of Mankind
The study of ancient art in museum collections has long been a stimulus to the human spirit and an important…
The 2012 Egyptian Elections: A Democratic Dilemma
In June of 2012, Elizabeth Jones found herself being transferred to the Near East Bureau in the Department of State.…
The Impact of Culture on Negotiation Tactics During the Cold War
The Cold War started after the end of World War II and lasted until the fall of the Soviet Union.…
A Jack of All Trades: Working Without Foreign Service Nationals in Moscow
Foreign service officers are often subject to circumstances beyond their control. Such was the case when a diplomatic quarrel occurred…
Working Together Against Separation—Life As A White Anti-Apartheid Activist in 1960s South Africa
Sometimes, politics involves standing for one’s values, even if it goes against the beliefs of the system in charge and…
A Public Diplomacy Career: Touring Astronauts, Saving Battleships, and More
Diplomatic history is a fascinating field full of peace conferences, negotiations, and summits; but it also includes dozens of other…