The Grace School of Applied Diplomacy

08/05/2026

Creating Knowledge is the journal of undergraduate scholarship and creative activity published annually by the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at DePaul University. First published in 2008, Creating Knowledge provides a venue to showcase the best student work produced across all our programs of study.

Recent graduate and double major in Applied Diplomacy and Theater Arts, Mads Wren, published Lighting the Path Forward: Citizen Diplomacy Against the Rise of Illiberal Democracy, an article featured in the 2025 edition of Creating Knowledge. Mads reflects on their experience and process writing the article and how their mentor, Dr. Wellman, helped them achieve their goals.

Congratulations on publication and graduation, Mads! To access the most recent volume of Creating Knowledge, including Mad's article, please visit https://las.depaul.edu/admission-and-aid/undergraduate-research/publications

07/30/2026

The special issue of The Hague Journal of Diplomacy, “Japan’s Diplomacy between the East and the West,” explores the evolution and contemporary practice of Japanese diplomacy through six original research articles and three forum essays. The first article featured on this unique issue is With, or Without You (US): Japan’s Doux Smart Power Driven Health Diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific by Vincent dePaul Professor of Political Science and Endowed Professor of Environmental Diplomacy at DePaul’s Grace School of Applied Diplomacy, Kathryn Ibata-Arens.

Japan’s health diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific region is increasingly moving beyond the constraints of its security partnership with the US. To achieve national health security, Japan employs what Ibata-Arens conceptualizes as ‘doux smart power diplomacy’ (DSPD), a gentler smart power combining soft power with less emphasis on using the threat of hard power. Ibata-Arens illustrates these dynamics in a “matrix of doux smart power diplomacy” contextualizing and comparing Japan’s approach within dimensions of altruism and nationalism on the one hand, and hard and soft power on the other.

Historically constrained by its Peace Constitution prohibiting offensive military intervention, Japan had leveraged soft power through cultural exports. DSPD, Japan’s emerging new model, is innovative, initiating novel collaborations involving state and private sector actors, and entrepreneurial, channeling limited resources into introducing new human health solutions to countries in need. DSPD thus offers a roadmap for states facing similar geopolitical complexities and resource constraints. The implementation of DSPD has required careful balancing between Japan’s own diplomatic vision and the United States’ interests, particularly in the context of navigating the rise of China’s diplomatic influence in Asia.

To access the full article please visit: https://brill.com/view/journals/hjd/21/3/article-p367_2.xml?rskey=tXc9C7&result=1

You may also find the DSPD matrix graphic here: https://depauledu-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/msanti20_depaul_edu/IQAqpIp6mZcLR6kjAfwG5sAPAc5jS_pJ8bwWq9S4K3CNW7o?e=g876Q9

07/22/2026

In this video, Assistant Professor of Applied Diplomacy, Dr. Minseon Ku, provides a brief overview of DPL 220: Diplomacy and Political Psychology, a unique undergraduate course subject offered at DePaul University.

Despite the importance of face-to-face interactions in diplomacy, scholarship in diplomatic studies largely skirts the role of psychology, while political psychology, now covered in many Political Science and International Relations curricula, has not sufficiently considered its contribution to understanding diplomatic practices and institutions involving both state and non-state actors.

DPL 220 is the first attempt to bridge diplomacy, defined as the mediation or management of differences and relations, and political psychology, which applies ideas from cognitive, personality, and social psychology to the study of decision-making, information processing, and the formation of political preferences at individual and collective levels. What can psychology tell us about diplomatic practices, such as face-to-face diplomacy, and political processes of communication to the masses that shape contemporary diplomacy?

For more information about DPL 220, please visit the DePaul University course catalog.

For more information on The Grace School of Applied Diplomacy, please visit: https://las.depaul.edu/academics/departments-programs/applied-diplomacy

https://youtu.be/1MlKbvQpV4U?si=BAU908sVoU_xt3Hz

In this video, Assistant Professor of Applied Diplomacy, Dr. Minseo...

07/21/2026

Undergraduate Applied Diplomacy student, Karley, has been busy during her time at The Grace School of Applied Diplomacy!

Karley exemplifies the possibilities of a transprofessional undergraduate education through her studies in applied diplomacy; French; political science; sales communications; and legal and public affairs, all combined with her passion for sports. She also describes her experience as a DePaul Honors student and a member of the Phi Mu Fraternity.

Watch the full interview here:

Undergraduate Applied Diplomacy student, Karley, has been busy duri...

07/01/2026

Our newest interview is with Graduate Student, Genesis!

Genesis just graduated with an MA in Applied Diplomacy, concentrating on International Public Service. Genesis made the most of her time here as a Graduate Assistant and going on a fruitful study abroad experience in Ireland.

Congratulations, Genesis! 🎉 We can't wait to see what you do next!

Watch the interview here:

Our newest interview is with MA Graduate Student, Genesis!Genesis...

06/17/2026

At the LAS Honors Convocation on May 28th, The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (LAS) presented the 2025-2026 LAS Outstanding Student Awards to recognize undergraduate and graduate students’ academic excellence.

Congratulations to undergraduate Harry and graduate Juliana on their LAS Outstanding Student Awards in Applied Diplomacy!

06/15/2026

The Grace School of Applied Diplomacy is proud to share that former DePaul Vice President, long-time supporter of DePaul University, and member of our External Advisory Board, Prof. James D. Bindenagel, has been honored with the 2026 Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Illinois.

When asked to reflect on his studies and how they influenced his career, Prof. Bindenagel wrote:
"The university’s teaching of critical thinking has always been vital. Stanley Hoffmann noted, "Reality is largely shaped by conflicts of will and competing perceptions striving to define what is real." In confusing times, it is essential not just to memorize facts but to develop our ability to think critically. As students, we naturally questioned authority. Socrates demonstrated that relying solely on figures of "authority" isn't sufficient for trustworthy knowledge. We learned to critically evaluate leaders, recognizing they can be wrong or irrational. We were encouraged to ask insightful questions that thoroughly examine ideas before accepting them as true. While my career was shaped by the critical thinking skills I developed here on campus, I also studied Thucydides, who emphasized that courage is the secret of freedom. I learned the significance of having the courage to speak truth to power."

To read Prof. Bindenagel's full reflection on his studies and his award, please visit this link: https://canva.link/ocoszy1zgjgvmmy.

06/05/2026

Recent undergrad graduate, Ean, reflects on his time at The Grace School as a Double Major in Applied Diplomacy and Political Science, as well as a Double Minor in Art History and Industrial Design.

Congratulations Ean!🎉

Watch Ean's full interview:

Soon to be grad, Ean, reflects on his time at The Grace School of A...

05/28/2026

As concerns intensify about the downsides of globalist approaches to world politics and about the rise of illiberal nationalist ones, Grace School professor and endowed chair Geoffrey Wiseman asks whether the concept of regional diplomatic culture can contribute to thinking about diplomacy and its ‘public turn’, thus enhancing international cooperation. His chapter, titled ‘Regional Diplomatic Culture and Diplomacy’s Public Turn,’ surveys five world regions, concluding that a regional-cultures interpretation of public engagement adds normative weight to longstanding appeals to democratize diplomacy.

The chapter appears in the edited volume, Diplomacy’s Public Turn: Prospects for Theory and Practice. (Palgrave MacMillan, 2026), edited by Kathy R. Fitzpatrick and Bruce Gregory. The book considers a world in which diplomats engage more with societies at home and abroad, and citizens in turn participate more in diplomatic practice. The volume’s contributors illuminate what’s needed to reimagine diplomacy when states and society are deeply interconnected.

To read Professor Wiseman's chapter, please visit the link here: https://depauledu-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/navellan_depaul_edu/IQCq3PeKV7YGSJUcNDg6IKNKAW37bycTWpsl_FfMNbsnwWU?e=nBoRzv