July-August 2026
The Foreign Service Journal covers foreign affairs from an insider’s perspective, providing thought-provoking articles on international issues, the practice of diplomacy, and the U.S. Foreign Service. Including the AFSA News section, The Journal is now published bimonthly by the American Foreign Service Association.
The July-August issue focuses on the U.S. in the World at 250.
We always welcome short, focused letters about FSJ content; please send them to journal@afsa.org.
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FOCUS ON THE U.S. IN THE WORLD AT 250
Unfinished Work: Why a Healthy Democracy Is Essential to Our Foreign Policy
The world is in a democratic recession. Can Americans work together to repair our democracy and fight back the global rise of competitive authoritarianism?
A National Security Council Out of Balance
Over the past year, the NSC has undergone a significant reduction in expertise, staff, and responsibility. Here’s why that matters.
When America Falls Silent: The Strategic Costs of Dismantling VOA
For millions, VOA was a beacon of hope and a window into America that no other institution could replicate.
Are We Seeing the Reemergence of the Spoils System?
The rigorous and competitive process for becoming a Foreign Service officer is in jeopardy due to reforms instituted in 2025 and projected reforms being considered by State Department leadership.
The Invention of U.S. Diplomacy
Modern diplomats are keeping Benjamin Franklin’s legacy alive, as the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training’s oral history archives show.
The Past Is Never Past: How State Historians Tell America’s Foreign Policy Story
Take a look inside one of the U.S. government’s oldest, largest, and most significant responsible transparency undertakings.
FEATURE
Making Truth Travel Faster Than Lies: Public Diplomacy at the Front Lines of Migration
Creative public diplomacy plays a vital, leading role in combating illegal immigration at U.S. Embassy Mexico City.
FS HERITAGE
The Trent Affair: When Diplomacy Saved the Union
When a ship’s seizure threatened to bring Great Britain into the Civil War on the side of the South, smart diplomacy averted the crisis.