ABSTRACT
Public diplomacy is a crucial tool for modern, democratic Germany to convince the world of its benign character as a European nation of science, culture, education, and development. The country promotes itself as a suitable location for business and industry, and as a trustworthy peace broker. The chapter introduces major German public diplomacy institutions and how they pursue these image goals while actively avoiding associations with any semblances of monologic propaganda, preferring “softer” or dialogic communicative strategies instead. The chapter argues that with its focus on outcomes in the hard world of politics and business, however, Germany’s public diplomacy remains ambiguous in its “soft” approach.
