INSIDE THE WORLD OF MODERN DIPLOMACY
By HELI TIIRMAA-KLAAR
Diplomatic Chess or Checkers: What Is ‘Persona Non Grata’?
The reasons for applying the label include spying, tit-for-tat games, expressions of ideology and the whims of dictators.
By ROBERT DOWNES
A Diplomatic Assignment That Saved Lives But Caused Nightmares
Two years after Afghanistan’s collapse, a former Foreign Service officer’s memories still haunt him.
By MITCHELL ZUCKOFF
‘Youth Ambassador’ Got a Taste of Diplomacy at Dubai Expo
Fresh out of college, I joined 74 other Americans to staff the USA Pavilion, which celebrated freedom and diversity.
By CAITLYN PHUNG
Love and Loss: Valentine’s Day in the Foreign Service
Diplomats work hard to prevent bad things from happening, but sometimes tragedies occur even on the day that celebrates love.
By ROBIN HOLZHAUER
Why Senior Diplomats Should Listen More to Their Subordinates
Managers often talk at their staff, and little training is given on how to provide effective performance guidance.
By VIRGINIA BLASER
How Agricultural Diplomats Help to Feed Americans, and the World
They expand access to markets, promote U.S. exports and help developing countries improve their capacity.
By SUSAN PHILLIPS
Could a Breached 1994 Accord Provide Diplomatic Cover for Ukraine Talks?
Russia violated the Budapest Memorandum, but it hasn’t repudiated it. The document may still be useful.
By ROBERT DOWNES
Nurturing Diplomats’ Ties to Family and Friends Back Home
Long before email and social media, my parents wrote letters nearly every week, not just on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
By PATRICIA NORLAND
Why It Can Take Two Years to Get a U.S. Visa
Demand is far outstripping resources, and the State Department has no great options as it struggles to clear the huge backlog of applications.
By NICHOLAS KRALEV
The Anti-Diplomat: Working in a Garage-Turned-Embassy Office
A sense of humor, resilience and informality helped much more than formality, tact and seriousness.
By NICHOLAS COGHLAN
How Foreign Service Spouses Carve Out a Professional Path
Although the State Department has made progress in improving job opportunities for family members, many are still unemployed or underemployed.
By LARA CENTER
More Americans Seem to Appreciate Diplomacy. Is That Enough?
Despite progress in public outreach, the State Department still needs a realistic and coherent long-term strategy.
By ROBIN HOLZHAUER
For a Diplomat’s Child, Global Upbringing Can Mean Lost Identity
The lessons I learned can help those who feel adrift, even if they have lived in the same country all their lives.
By MEGAN NORTON
Want to Be a Diplomat? You Must Make It Past an A.I. ‘Gateway’
Software now scores Foreign Service candidates’ essays and résumés.
By CHARLIE KEOHAN
and NICHOLAS KRALEV
Deputy Chief of Mission: The Toughest Job in an Embassy
The main challenge is managing an interagency team that is uniquely disparate, in an environment vastly different from a typical workplace.
By SAL CERRELL
Why Exchange Programs Can ‘Make Dreams Come True’
The majority of participants are promising young leaders — ordinary people who go on to make a difference in their communities.
By LIA MILLER
Split Loyalties: The Non-Americans in U.S. Diplomatic Missions
About 50,000 local staff around the world keep embassies and consulates running. I was one of them.
By CASEY BOHN
How to Communicate Official Policy to a Globalized World
We have the latest technical messaging tools, but we still speak to foreign audiences as we do to our own citizens. That must change.
By SAMUEL WERBERG
Forging Diplomatic Connections Through Storytelling
Having fled Nazi Germany, my grandmother implored me to get involved in public service.
By LAUREN PROTENTIS
Decree to Disband French Foreign Service Is an Attack on Diplomacy
Like many politicians, President Emmanuel Macron doesn’t understand that diplomacy is a profession.
By NICHOLAS KRALEV