Historically, the transition of power in one global empire necessitated extensive diplomatic efforts on the part of all other powers. A new Austrian emperor, for instance, would have to be studied carefully so as to ascertain his political mindset, his commitment to peace, his zeal for war and his willingness to maintain ties with old... Continue Reading →
Monday’s #MustRead List
Each week, I publish a list of interesting articles, essays and reports that may be of interest to the digital diplomacy community. This week- Concern mounts over government cyber agency's struggle to respond to hack fallout (CNN)Teachers on TV? Schools Try Creative Strategy to Narrow Digital Divide (The New York Times)Digital Advertising Harms Society. Here’s... Continue Reading →
Monday’s #MustRead List
Each week, I publish a list of interesting articles, essays and reports that may be of interest to the digital diplomacy community. This week- How will the future remember Covid19? (The Atlantic)7 Reasons Why Silicon Valley Will Have a Tough Time With the Biden Administration (Foreign Policy)The State of AI in 2019 (The Verge)Better Than... Continue Reading →
Should Diplomats Pay More Attention to Publics’ Online Knowledge Voyage?
Two years ago the Dutch Foreign Ministry held a Digital Diplomacy Camp. Over the course of two days, the Camp offered a platform for diplomats, journalists, scholars and representatives of social media companies eager to discuss the digitalization of diplomacy. In one session, Jay Wang of the USC Center on Public Diplomacy reflected on online... Continue Reading →
The Banality of Soft Power
In the autumn of 1990, Joseph Nye sought to re-imagine what American power would like in the 21st century. Writing near the end of the Cold War, Nye offered scholars and policy makers a new conceptual framework through which they could understand power dynamics in a changing world. The Cold War would soon be over,... Continue Reading →
An Act of Digital Disobedience? When U.S. Embassies Raised the Pride Flag
Over the past week, several newspapers have published stories focusing on the activities of U.S. embassies during Pride Month. Specifically, these stories have dealt with the creative ways in which some embassies hoisted the rainbow flag during Pride Month. Unlike the Obama era, the Trump administration has banned the use of the rainbow flag thus preventing... Continue Reading →
The age of conspiracies: Why are Conspiracy Theories Flourishing Online?
Now is the age of conspiracies. Throughout the world, the mass dissemination and belief in conspiracy theories seems to be on the rise. These were especially visible during the 2016 Presidential elections as some argued that climate change was a Chinese invention meant to weaken the West, that Barack Obama was not born in the... Continue Reading →
How America Uses Instagram to Indict Iran
Recent weeks have seen tensions between the U.S. and Iran reach fever pitch. While the Trump administration has warned Iran not to commit any acts of provocation, or attack American interests in the region, Iranian officials have vowed to defeat America in any future war. With tensions quickly escalating, the U.S. has decided to withdraw... Continue Reading →
NATO’S Digital Narrative- “What We Are”, Not “Who We Are”
The word narrative has for some time dominated conversations about digital diplomacy. At the most basic level, narratives are viewed as compelling stories through which state and non-state actors can explain their policies and actions. The narrative is thus a rhetorical and visual device that replaces official press statements lined with diplomatic double entendres and... Continue Reading →
From Magic Bullets to Bots: How Diplomats Conceptualize Social Media
Since the late 1930's communications scholars have investigated the influence of masa media on society. At times, scholars assumed that mass media such as radio and film had an immense impact on individuals and could manipulate their thoughts, beliefs and actions. At other times scholars assumed that the effects of mass media were cumulative and... Continue Reading →