Exchange diplomacy: theory, policy and practice in the Fulbright program

Educational and cultural exchanges are a highly regarded form of public diplomacy, aimed at the promotion of mutual understanding and fostering international goodwill through interpersonal contact. There remains, however, a lack of theoretical basis underpinning these aims, and little discussion of how exchanges relate to foreign policy matters. Much of the literature on exchanges is uncritical, excessively flattering, and limited in scope. This study turns to an often overlooked stakeholder in exchange diplomacy, the exchange program administrator. While most of the existing literature focuses solely on the exchange participant, other perspectives have a great deal to contribute to the study of exchange diplomacy. Administrators benefit from a long-term, holistic understanding of exchange diplomacy policy and practices. Taking the Fulbright Program as a case study, this study asks its administrators around the world to share their conceptualisation of the Fulbright Program’s purpose, the responsibilities of Fulbright grantees, and the relationship between the exchange program and foreign policy concerns. Their responses reveal a wide range of valuable insights, including the diversity amongst different country programs and the discrepancies between the theoretical basis for exchange diplomacy and the daily realities of exchange program practices. Their observations and reflections are also shown to differ from those of participants in a number of significant ways. The unique, on-the-ground perspectives of Fulbright administrators enhance our understanding of exchange diplomacy in theory, policy and practice.