As the Cold War died down, U.S. assistance to Latin America shifted focus to a new war: the war on…
Keeping the Skies Open: Defending the Open Skies Treaty
The checkered history between Russia and the United States was arguably the most transformational relationship for world events in the…
Saving the Special Courts of Kosovo at Christmas
The nation of Kosovo is one of the youngest nations in Europe. It has had to overcome ethnic tensions and…
Economic Diplomacy and the Private Sector: Helping IBM Expand into Latin America
In 1984 Donald Lyman left the State Department after seven years of service. Although it was a brief stint compared…
Some Like it Hot — U.S. Diplomats Negotiate Spicy Foreign Foods
The chemical compound capsaicin is responsible for the spice and heat in spicy dishes. While particular plants, peppers, and vegetables…
The End of Omar al-Bashir—New Hope for Sudan
Since becoming independent from its former colonizer, the Republic of Sudan has fluctuated between democratically elected governments and severe dictatorships.…
“The Times They Are a-Changin”—Working in the Context of Social Revolution
While U.S. State Department employees regularly serve in the midst of pivotal international agreements and turmoil, the events going on…
Wikileaks: The Revelation That Shook U.S. Diplomacy
As the hearings of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange continue, the question of whether he will be extradited to the United…
Building a Country from Scratch—The South Sudanese Transition to Independence (2005-2011)
Creating a country ex nihilo is never an easy feat. How does one construct functional government institutions from scratch in…
“Till Death Do Us Part”—Relationships for Women in the Foreign Service
Women have come a long way in fighting for equality within the workforce. This has inevitably shaped relationships for women…