What does the beginning of a diplomatic partnership look like? Though the image that comes to mind is elegant diplomacy,…
Diplomacy as an Instrument of Statecraft: A Practicum
Diplomacy as an Instrument of Statecraft: A Practicum Remarks to the Washington International Diplomatic Academy Ambassador Chas W.…
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…
A Look Back—First Director of the Population, Refugees, and Migrations Bureau
The Biden administration nominated Ambassador Julieta Valls Noyes to serve as assistant secretary of state for the department’s Bureau of…
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…
Peace Corps to Ambassador: David Greenlee and Bolivia
It’s very common for Peace Corps volunteers to feel disheartened, as David Greenlee did as a Peace Corps volunteer in…
Political and Ethnic Strife in the South Sudanese Civil War
After nearly fifty-five years of civil war, the Sudanese people are no stranger to immense violence and devastation. The First…
Methodist Missionary: A Future Ambassador’s Historical Experience in South Korea
Korean Christianity appears to observers as embedded in Korean history and tradition. However, this is not the case, as Korean…
An Embassy at War: Labor Management in South Vietnam
The roles of embassies and their staff vary greatly by countries and regions, though few can claim themselves to be…
Restoring Trust and Preserving the U.S.-Japan Alliance: The 1995 Okinawa Rape Incident
It’s hard to imagine U.S. foreign policy in East Asia without its closest partner and ally in the region: Japan.…