The study of ancient art in museum collections has long been a stimulus to the human spirit and an important…
Lessons from Haiti: Why Security-Only Interventions Fail
Haiti has been plagued with instability for much of its existence, despite being the second country in the Americas to…
The Secret ‘Backbone’ of the U.S. Embassy in Delhi, India
Historically, Foreign Service Nationals (FSNs) have been working behind the scenes and supporting foreign service personnel who often serve in…
Captivating Times in India—What it Means to Travel Across the World as a Foreign Service Officer
Upon joining the Foreign Service, most officers are immediately assigned to locations all over the world. Postings can vary from…
Peace Corps to Ambassador: Thomas Hull in Sierra Leone
Thomas Hull was undaunted by Sierra Leone’s reputation as “the white man’s grave” when he set out as a Peace…
The Variety of a Foreign Service Career: Bananas, Beaches, and a Plane
Robert Reis, a longtime State Department official, is a perfect example of how far one can come from the American…
Keeping “Enemies” Close: Diplomacy in Divided Cities
The twentieth century continues to captivate the attention of policy professionals, academics, and the general public. This is due to…
A “Typical Roberta Cohen Operation”—Establishing USIA Programs in Addis Ababa
Like much of Africa, Ethiopia experienced a watershed moment at the end of World War II, emerging out from under…
A Fragile Peace: The Aftermath of the Sri Lankan Civil War
One of the greatest challenges in a diplomat’s career is serving in a country that is trying to rebuild after…
Fighting Where the “Wango-Wango Bird Couldn’t Get”—U.S. Diplomats and the Ecuador-Peru Boundary Dispute
In 1895, the United States intervened in a long-standing border dispute between Great Britain and Venezuela, forcing its resolution—and forcing…