While public diplomacy experts struggle to develop strategic communications campaigns to win hearts and minds abroad, new research on the frontiers of neuroscience and psychology suggests a different approach.

While public diplomacy experts struggle to develop strategic communications campaigns to win hearts and minds abroad, new research on the frontiers of neuroscience and psychology suggests a different  approach. This meeting, co-sponsored by the USIP Center of Innovation for Media, Conflict and Peacebuilding and the Alliance of Civilizations Media Fund, brought researchers and media makers together in an unprecedented dialogue on these new findings and their implications for the international community’s ability to use media to prevent conflict.

Media as Global Diplomat I convened leading thinkers at the start of the new Administration to focus much needed attention on the dramatically changing media landscape, and how America could re-engage the world with a public diplomacy strategy adapted to the digital age.

Since that time, there have been countless reports and meetings held to discuss public diplomacy strategy and the best ways to deliver positive messages -- without much understanding as to what is a "positive" message or a "negative" message or under what circumstances such messages have greater or less impact on conflict. And yet research on the relationship between media and inter-group conflict shows that these are vitally important questions, for which we are only beginning to have answers -- thanks to advancements in brain imaging and psychophysiology methodologies that have literally allowed us to "get inside people's heads."

This meeting discussed the public policy implications of some of the most interesting findings to date, with particular focus on research commissioned by the Alliance of Civilizations Media Fund from labs at Harvard, MIT, and the New School.

Explore Further

9:30 - 9:40 A.M.    Welcome to USIP and Framing of the Day

  • Sheldon Himelfarb
    Associate Vice President and Executive Director, Center of Innovation for Media, Conflict & Peacebuilding, USIP

9: 45 - 10:15 A.M.    Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan

10:15 - 11:15 A.M.    The Research Frontier: The Brain and Violent Conflict

  • Cynthia Schneider, Moderator
    Former U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands
    Senior Fellow, Saban Center for Middle East Policy, Brookings Institution
  • Shamil Idriss
    Executive Director, Alliance of Civilizations Media Fund
  • Rebecca Saxe
    Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
  • Jay Winsten
    Associate Dean, Harvard School of Public Health

11:15 - 11:30 A.M.    Break
 

11:30 - 1:00 P.M.     The Storytellers: News, Drama, and the Public Interest

Related Publications

Many Ways to Fail: The Costs to China of an Unsuccessful Taiwan Invasion

Many Ways to Fail: The Costs to China of an Unsuccessful Taiwan Invasion

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

A Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be an extremely difficult military, complex operation. China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been thinking seriously since the early 2000s about what such a landing would require. For over two decades, its force development efforts have been focused on the weapons, equipment, doctrine and operational concepts required to conquer the island in the face of full U.S. military intervention. The PLA has made considerable progress toward that goal and may deem itself fully capable by the 2027 force development target set by Xi Jinping.

Type: Analysis

Conflict Analysis & Prevention

How Ukraine is Navigating Russia’s Weaponization of Religion

How Ukraine is Navigating Russia’s Weaponization of Religion

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Since 2014, Ukraine has been trying to repel escalating Russian aggression. But while Russia is a much larger country, with far more weaponry and manpower, their efforts to undermine Ukrainian state sovereignty extend far beyond armed combat. The Kremlin has used its close ties to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) to weaponize religion in favor of Russian interests.

Type: Analysis

Conflict Analysis & PreventionReligion

What’s Next for Israel, Iran and Prospects for a Wider Middle East War?

What’s Next for Israel, Iran and Prospects for a Wider Middle East War?

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Early Saturday morning in Tehran, Israel carried out what it called a series of “precise and targeted” airstrikes on Iranian military targets. This was the latest in a series of direct exchanges between Isarel and Iran in recent months. Israel Defense Forces struck 20 sites, including air defense batteries and radar, factories for missile and drone production, and weapons and aircraft launch sites. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the attack had "severely damaged Iran’s defense capability and its ability to produce missiles.” The Iranian government announced the deaths of four military personnel and one civilian, but otherwise took a more measured response than might be expected.

Type: Question and Answer

Conflict Analysis & Prevention

China Responds to Taiwan’s Plea for Cross-Strait Peace with Military Pressure

China Responds to Taiwan’s Plea for Cross-Strait Peace with Military Pressure

Thursday, October 24, 2024

In his first National Day speech as Taiwan’s president, William Lai Ching-te called for regional peace while reaffirming that China and Taiwan “are not subordinate to each other.” Though Lai’s October 10 address was more restrained than past remarks, it was attacked by China’s state media as “highly provocative.” Days later, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) encircled Taiwan with record numbers of military aircraft and warships during a series of military “drills.”

Type: Question and Answer

Conflict Analysis & Prevention

View All Publications