Constructive Dissent
in the Foreign Service

“In a democracy dissent is an act of faith. Like medicine, the test of its value is not in its taste, but in its effects.”
- J. William Fulbright, U.S. politician (1905 - 1995)

For close to forty years AFSA has sponsored a program to recognize and encourage constructive dissent and risk-taking in the Foreign Service. This is absolutely unique within the U.S. government in that the foreign affairs agencies encourage dissent through the dissent channel and the Director General of the Foreign Service is a co-sponsor of the annual ceremony where the dissent awards are handed out. AFSA is proud to have upheld the tradition of constructive dissent for these many years, and we look forward to our ongoing role in recognizing those who have the courage to buck the system to stand up for their beliefs.

What is Dissent?

Within the foreign affairs agency system, the term "constructive dissent" is used to describe cables passed through the official dissent channel which object to or proscribe amendments to official U.S. foreign policy or regarding conditions of work. Recent examples of such dissent include a political officer in Turkey who objected to the way human rights reporting was conducted, and a diplomatic courier who fought against an antiquated and dangerous delivery system in the Caribbean. Excluded from AFSA's definiton of constructive dissent are objections raised outside the system, i.e. airing policy disagreements in the media or blogs.

How Does the Dissent Channel Work?

The dissent channel, whose structure is proscribed in the FAM, is officially overseen by S/P, the State Department's Policy Planning Staff. Detailed information on the process may be found here.

Will Dissenting Hurt My Career?

Absolutely not. AFSA has honored dozens of dissenters through the decades, and we would be hard pressed to find one whose career was in any way negatively affected as a result. In fact, many have gone on to long and admirable careers in the Foreign Service. A list of past winners includes such Foreign Service luminaries as John Limbert, Ryan Crocker, Michael Guest, James Warlick (now Ambassador to Bulgaria), Jeffrey Feltman (currently Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs), and Carol Rodley (currently Ambassador to Cambodia). For more details on any career implications from dissent, please see Francesca Kelly's January 2010 piece from the Foreign Service Journal, "Does Dissent Harm Your Career?"

Dissent Awards

Each year, AFSA calls for nominations for those who have had the courage to dissent within the system, and each June we give out these awards in a grand ceremony in the Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Reception Room at the Department of State. The AFSA Constructive Dissent Awards are unique for the following reasons:

1. They are not based on superior performance, for which numerous Department awards already exist.
2. No other government agency has a similar program.
3. These awards publicly recognize individuals who have demonstrated the intellectual courage to challenge the system from within, to question the status quo and take a stand, no matter the sensitivity of the issue or the consequences of their actions. The issue does not have to be related to foreign policy. It can relate to a management issue, consular policy, or, in the case of the newest award, the F. Allen "Tex" Harris Award, to the willingness of a Foreign Service Specialist to take an unpopular stand, to go out on a limb, or to stick his/her neck out in a way that involves some risk.

Four awards are offered: The F. Allen "Tex" Harris Award for a Foreign Service Specialist; the Harriman Award for a junior officer (FS 6-FS 4); the Rivkin Award for a mid-level officer (FS 3-FS 1); and the Herter Award for a member of the Senior Foreign Service (FE OC-FE CA). For background and historical information on AFSA's Constructive Dissent Awards, click here. The dissent awards are overseen by Perri Green, AFSA's Coordinator for Special Awards and Outreach. She is available at green@afsa.org and 202-338-4045, ext. 521.