R.I.P. Phil Taylor

Phil Taylor, professor of International Communications at the University of Leeds, United Kingdom, passed away on 6 December 2010. Phil was a terrific and underappreciated researcher and thinker on the subject of influence and propaganda. A prolific writer on the subjects, he devoted tremendous time and energy into unveiling both historical and contemporary propaganda.

John Brown described Phil as “one of the greats in the study of the art of rhetoric.”

Phil will be missed.

See also:

Abbreviated list of books authored or co-edited by Phil:

Counterinsurgency Today: A Review of Eric T. Olson’s “Some of the Best Weapons for Counterinsurgents Do Not Shoot”

By Efe Sevin

The long-lasting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has led to increased inquiry into the concepts and practices of counterinsurgency (COIN). Eric T. Olson, in his work, focuses on the importance of reconstruction attempts in COIN operations and discusses the role of military. The author served in the U.S. Army for over three decades and retired as a Major General. Currently, Mr. Olson is an independent defense contractor and works with Army brigades and provincial reconstruction teams (PRTs) who are preparing for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. As the title suggests, his monograph considers such reconstruction attempts to have uttermost importance in successful military operations.

Continue reading “Counterinsurgency Today: A Review of Eric T. Olson’s “Some of the Best Weapons for Counterinsurgents Do Not Shoot”

Temporary Hiatus

My apologies to the readers, but I’ve had to put the blog (and twitter and other social media) on the back burner for the time being. I’m hoping to resume with gusto next week.

This is also a good time to remind you that I do accept guest posts provided they fit within the general guideline of articulating a subject relevant to public diplomacy and strategic communication, regardless of an emphasis on words or deeds or organization. If you have a post or topic you’d like to share with the community – or event for that matter to be highlighted – email me and I’ll try to facilitate its dissemination in a timely manner.

That all said, stay tuned and don’t change the channel…