Research and Interviews

Commentary, research articles and conversations on cultural diplomacy, heritage, the South Caucasus and Central Asia. Reposted works are marked and credited to their authors.

Research · Interviews · Publications and press releases

Analysis

Research

Research, Research Articles
From digital diplomacy to AI-driven diplomacies? Mapping the potential impact of AI on Diplomacy
Abstract The rapid and consecutive launch of artificial intelligence applications over the past 3 years has led digital diplomacy scholars to envision the future of artificial intelligence–driven diplomacy.…
Reposted. Ilan Manor, Communication and the Public, 2026.
May 2026
Research
Peace Is America’s Strategic Imperative
In Washington, peace is often spoken of in moral terms-an aspiration to be pursued when conditions allow. But in today’s fractured world, peace is not a luxury. It…
CDDF commentary.
May 2026
Research, Research Articles
Art of island Southeast Asia: the Fred and Rita Richman Collection in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Reposted from an external publication; see the source note in the article.
July 2025
Research, Research Articles
Heads held high: How a headscarf became a symbol of identity for the nation of Azerbaijan and how tradition has been renewed through eras of change
Abstract The Azerbaijani “kelaghayi” (woman’s silk headscarf) has long been one of the most popular elements of traditional Azerbaijani clothing, and an important icon of Azerbaijani national identity.…
Research article; see the source note in the article.
July 2025
Research, Research Articles
Sharing the Heritage of Dani Art: The Hampton Collection at the Tracing Patterns Foundation
Abstract This paper introduces the collection assembled by geologist and anthropologist O.W. (“Bud”) Hampton (1928-2017) among the Dani of the Baliem Valley in western New Guinea, recently donated…
Reposted from an external publication; see the source note in the article.
July 2025
Research, Research Articles
Beginnings of Friendship: Revisiting the Smithsonian Collections from Commodore Matthew Perry’s Japan Expedition, 1853-1854 [ArcGIS Story map]
Abstract “Beginnings of Friendship: Revisiting the Smithsonian Collections from Commodore Matthew Perry’s Japan Expedition, 1853-1854 [ArcGIS Story map]” is an ArcGIS Story map written and published in 2023,…
Reposted. Smithsonian Institution story map.
July 2025
Interviews, Publications, Research
Interview with Ambassador Robert Cekuta
His last assignment in the U.S. Foreign Service was to serve as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Energy Resources of the Department of State. There…
Interview conducted by CDDF, June 2025.
June 2025
Research, Research Articles
Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries
Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries Source: Brookings Institution Summary: This article discusses the necessity of providing more than just financial capital and business skills to female entrepreneurs.…
March 2025

Conversations

Interviews

Interviews
Conversation with Dr. Paul Michael Taylor
Conversation with Dr. Paul Michael Taylor, Curator, Researcher, and Program Director · Smithsonian Institution When we think of “cultural preservation,” we’re often talking about the preservation of historic…
Interview conducted by CDDF, July 2025.
July 2025
Interviews, Publications, Research
Interview with Ambassador Robert Cekuta
His last assignment in the U.S. Foreign Service was to serve as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Energy Resources of the Department of State. There…
Interview conducted by CDDF, June 2025.
June 2025