The Cultural Diplomacy Study Group, fall 2026; session three.
Stories are among the most powerful ways we understand ourselves and one another. They carry family histories, preserve memory, cross borders, and help individuals and communities make sense of questions of identity and belonging. Yet storytelling also raises complicated questions of authorship, representation, cultural ownership, and authenticity. Who has the right to tell another community’s story? How do migration, diaspora, language, and family history shape the stories we tell about ourselves? Can we belong fully to more than one culture? And what happens when an artist’s individual voice becomes interpreted as representative of an entire people or cultural identity?
This session will explore these questions through a conversation with acclaimed author Amy Tan, whose writing has examined Chinese-American identity, immigration, intergenerational relationships, language, memory, and the complexities of belonging across cultures. Drawing upon both her work and personal experience, the conversation will consider how individual stories can become bridges between communities while also challenging assumptions about who speaks for whom. The discussion will move beyond questions of cultural appropriation to examine the deeper and more universal question of belonging: how identities are inherited, negotiated, translated, and sometimes imposed upon us by others.
For cultural diplomacy, these questions are particularly important. Stories often travel farther than their creators ever anticipate, shaping how people around the world understand cultures and communities they may never encounter firsthand. The session will therefore ask: Can storytelling create genuine understanding across cultures without reducing the complexity of identity—and how can we make room for many voices rather than expecting a single story to represent an entire people?
Guest Speaker
To be announced.
Location: Hybrid — Harvard Kennedy School and Zoom
This program will be held in a hybrid format, with participation available in person at Harvard Kennedy School or virtually via Zoom.
In-person attendance requires a valid Harvard ID. All other participants are welcome to join virtually.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. You will receive a confirmation once approved.
The Cultural Diplomacy Study Group is an initiative of the Cultural Diplomacy Project, an initiative under the auspices of Harvard Kennedy School’s Program on Diplomacy and Statecraft.
Founded by Ambassador Nicholas Burns, the Program on Diplomacy and Statecraft serves as a global hub for advancing the practice and study of diplomacy, negotiation, and statecraft. The Cultural Diplomacy Project examines the importance of music, art, and cultural heritage in modern diplomacy, convening practitioners, scholars, artists, policymakers, and leaders from around the world.