Jazz Diplomacy: America's Conversation with the World

The OLLI Distinguished Speakers Series presents
Jazz Diplomacy: America's Conversation with the World

with James Ketterer

Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. ET

In-person at BCC

This talk explores the use of one of America’s great cultural creations - jazz - as a diplomatic tool. Starting in the 1950s, jazz was used as a way to counter Soviet propaganda, highlighting the contribution of great musicians like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Dizzy Gillespie. But how did those musicians reconcile their status as global ambassadors of American culture with the challenges of the Civil Rights movement at home? The answer is manifested in the music they played, the compositions they created in response to encountering new cultures, and the musicians they inspired around the world. The course also looks at cultural diplomacy today and the continued effectiveness of American “soft power.”

James Ketterer is Senior Fellow at the Center for Civic Engagement at Bard College in New York state. At Bard, he previously served as Dean of International Studies and Director of the Bard Globalization and International Studies program in New York City. Ketterer also served as Dean of the School of Continuing Education at the American University in Cairo and as Egypt Country Director for AMIDEAST, a large educational NGO represented across the Middle East and North Africa. While in Egypt he worked on several public diplomacy projects with the US Embassy, including cultural exchange programs and jazz diplomacy. He was at the State University of New York for several years, serving as Vice Chancellor for Policy and Planning, Deputy Provost, and Director of the Center for International Development, where he implemented large capacity building projects supported by the US Agency for International Development USAID). These projects worked with parliaments and other institutions in many countries across Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and Europe. He has also worked in government, including at the National Security Council, the New York Senate, and the New York Commission on Higher Education.

_________

Ticket information:

Admission is $10 for OLLI at BCC and Berkshire Museum members, and $15 for the general public.

Admission is free for students, staff and faculty from Berkshire Community College, MCLA, Simon's Rock, and Williams; youth 17 and under, and those holding WIC, EBT/SNAP, or ConnectorCare cards.

Pre-registration is required. Register safely and securely online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9am-4pm) to register by phone with a credit card.