What is the role of American diplomacy in the world today? Eight alumni who have charted careers in the United States Foreign Service—from the Class of 1977 through the Class of 2014—reflect on their experiences of representing American ideals and American interests across the world.
The views expressed in the following reflections are the authors’ own, expressed in a personal capacity, and not necessarily reflective of those of the U.S. government or Department of State.
Mark Storella ’77
the world has been our enlightened approach: identifying American security with the safety of our allies; American prosperity with our partners’ economic development; and American freedom with the health of democracy around the world.
The role of U.S. diplomacy is to advance the interests of the American people, and the genius of America’s engagement in
American diplomats work to advance human rights globally while balancing U.S. interests, recognizing that we cannot always be consistent and that we ourselves continue to strive toward our Constitution’s goal of a more perfect union. How do American diplomats translate that into action on human rights? I would boil it down to three things: principles, process, and people.
Professor of Practice of Diplomacy at Boston University Pardee School of Global Studies, after serving as a senior diplomat with experience on five continents, retiring with the rank of Minister Counselor
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