Disinformation was a staple practice of U.S. adversaries in the Cold War and it continues to this day coming from countries seeking to discredit or undermine U.S. foreign policy. In recent years, disinformation is only one of many practices comprising a phenomenon widely dubbed as “post-truth politics” and prompting many to refer to our times as a “post-truth era.” In such a world, it is said, truth does not matter and the distinction between truth and falsehood is blurred if not erased. It is an era of “fake news,” “alternative facts,” unfounded claims, proliferating conspiracies, charges and counter-charges of repeated lying, personal attacks, and negative group stereotyping.
The Salon will address:
the possible causes of the post-truth phenomenon (what role do social media and the World-Wide Web play? decline of trust in government, science, and public institutions generally?);
the impact on foreign policy and diplomacy (does it exacerbate the risk or war and undermine peacemaking efforts?); and,
ways most likely to deal effectively with it (Is fact-checking enough? Are “guardrails” on social media needed? How must public diplomacy and strategic communications adapt and change?).
Setting the stage for our Salon conversation will be Dr. Robert Krikorian, Senior Advisor for Strategic Intelligence Studies at the U.S. Department of State. A student of history and Eurasian studies at Harvard University, Dr. Krikorian has taught at George Washington University, Elliot School of International Affairs.
