Dr. William G. M. Brandful, born on December 04, 1952 in Cape Coast, Ghana, will turn sixty years old on December 04, 2012, when he will launch his book Personal Reflections of a Ghanaian Foreign Service Officer - Whither Ghanaian Diplomacy? The book chronicles Dr. Brandful¿s experiences as a Foreign Service Officer in a way that those experiences serve to mirror the diplomacy of Ghana which then gets examined to see how it may have excelled in the past; how it is being confronted currently with challenges to the point of sometimes blunting its efficacy; and how it could be ¿re-engineered¿ towards greater future achievement. The attempt may be ambitious, but it is motivated by a passionate sincerity, only equaled by the other commitment to also contribute through the book to the creation of institutional memory for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of Ghana. Currently the Ambassador of Ghana to Japan with concurrent accreditation to Singapore as non-Resident High Commissioner, the author served previously at the Ghanaian Missions in Zambia, Mali, Germany, and Benin. Between the date of joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in May 1977, and the specified diplomatic assignments, Ambassador Brandful worked at various positions at the Ministry in Ghana, including Chief of Protocol and later as Supervising Director, Policy Planning, Research and Monitoring. Dr. Brandful had his Secondary education in Ghana at Mfantsipim School from 1964 to 1971 and pursued his initial university studies at the University of Ghana (1971-75, including one year abroad 73/74 at the University of Dakar, Senegal), followed by post-graduate studies successively at the Polytechnic of Central London; University of Nairobi, Kenya; International Institute for Public Administration in Paris (I.I.A.P); The Hague Academy of International Law; and the University of Paris XI, Sceaux Faculty, France, from where he obtained a ¿Doctorat de Troisieme Cycle¿ in International Relations in January, 1986. Dr. Brandful is married to Dinah Brandful (née Coleman); has four daughters and three grandchildren. He speaks French. As hobbies, Ambassador Brandful plays squash, tennis, piano and golf.

The deployment of a large number of soldiers, police officers and civilian personnel inevitably has various effects on the host society and economy, not all of which are in keeping with the peacekeeping mandate and intent or are easily discernible prior to the intervention. This book is one of the first attempts to improve our understanding of unintended consequences of peacekeeping operations, by bringing together field experiences and academic analysis. The aim of the book is not to discredit peace operations but rather to improve the way in which such operations are planned and managed.

Written in a detailed and fascinating manner, this book is ideal for general readers interested in the English language.

In recent decades, the conduct of international relations among and within states has been very considerably altered. Today, the content of these relations relies as much on international professional and civil society networks as it does on state-to-state transactions. The role of the Internet has been fundamental in widening communications opportunities for citizens and civil society, with a profound effect on democracy transition. In consequence, diplomacy has taken on a much more human and public face. Twenty-first century ambassadors and diplomats are learning to engage with civil societies, especially on the large themes of democratic change — an engagement that is often resisted by authoritarian regimes. A Diplomat’s Handbook for Democracy Development Support presents a wide variety of specific experiences of diplomats on the ground, identifying creative, human and material resources. More broadly, it is about the policy-making experience in capitals, as democratic states try to align national interests and democratic values. The Handbook also documents the increasingly prominent role of civil society as the essential building block for successful democratic transitions, with each case study examining specific national experiences in the aspiration for democratic and pluralistic governance, and lessons learned on all sides — for better or for worse. While each situation is different — presenting unique, unstructured problems and opportunities — a review of these experiences bears out the validity of the authors’ belief in the interdependence of democratic engagements, and provides practitioners with encouragement, counsel and a greater capacity to support democracy everywhere.

A twentieth-century innovation, foreign aid has become a familiar and even expected element in international relations. But scholars and government officials continue to debate why countries provide it: some claim that it is primarily a tool of diplomacy, some argue that it is largely intended to support development in poor countries, and still others point out its myriad newer uses. Carol Lancaster effectively puts this dispute to rest here by providing the most comprehensive answer yet to the question of why governments give foreign aid. She argues that because of domestic politics in aid-giving countries, it has always been—and will continue to be—used to achieve a mixture of different goals. Drawing on her expertise in both comparative politics and international relations and on her experience as a former public official, Lancaster provides five in-depth case studies—the United States, Japan, France, Germany, and Denmark—that demonstrate how domestic politics and international pressures combine to shape how and why donor governments give aid. In doing so, she explores the impact on foreign aid of political institutions, interest groups, and the ways governments organize their giving. Her findings provide essential insight for scholars of international relations and comparative politics, as well as anyone involved with foreign aid or foreign policy.

This anthology serves as a fundamental guide to PSYOP philosophy, concepts, principles, issues, and thought for both those new to, and those experienced in, the PSYOP field and PSYOP applications. It clarifies the value of PSYOP as a cost-effective weapon and incorporates it as a psychological instrument of U.S. military and political power, especially given our present budgetary constraints. Presents diverse articles that portray the value of the planned use of human actions to influence perceptions, public opinion, attitudes, and behaviors so that PSYOP victories can be achieved in war and in peace.