The Long War of Ideas American; Public Diplomacy in Arabic After 9/11

ACGIS Guest Lecture with Dr.Nathaniel Greenberg

Thursday, March 26, 2026 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM EDT
Horizon Hall, 5225

In the wake of the September 11 attacks, US officials identified the so-called battle for hearts and minds as the “second front” in the war on terror. A wave of funding flowed into public diplomacy in the Middle East, seeking to change views of the United States through Arabic-language communications—often while hiding the traces of American origins. To what extent did this vast propaganda apparatus sway Arab public opinion? Which ideas and actors shaped American public diplomacy in this period? What are the lessons for information strategy today?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nathaniel Greenberg is associate professor of Arabic at George Mason University. His books include How Information Warfare Shaped the Arab Spring: The Politics of Narrative in Tunisia and Egypt (2019).