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This week I have published a new working paper examining Russia's practice of 'Selfie Diplomacy' during 2020-2021. The Working paper begins by discussing why nostalgia is such a common sentiment in todays' world, arguing that nostalgia is an attempt to force logic onto an incoherent world. Next, the working paper examines the Selfie and asserts... Continue Reading →
Each week, I publish a list of interesting articles, essays and reports that may be of interest to the digital diplomacy community. This week I have curated a list of the most important digital news of 2021. Happy Holidays! Leveraging digital technology during the pandemic (Brookings)The Most Influential Spreader of Coronavirus Misinformation Online (The New York Times)Tokyo... Continue Reading →
A recent article in Nature, titled "Toward effective government communication strategies in the era of COVID-19", outlines communications policies that may help governments face the Covid-19 pandemic. The authors layout 9 guiding principles for "effective" government communication, including clarity, honesty and empathy. It is interesting that most of these principles are relevant to digital diplomacy,... Continue Reading →
Are tech giants diplomatic actors? This question has occupied scholars and commentators for several years. Some have argued that social media companies have obtained a form of digital statehood. Facebook, for instance, displays many trappings of a state including a citizenry, a currency and a diplomatic branch charged with managing relations with offline states. Others... Continue Reading →
Each week, I publish a list of interesting articles, essays and reports that may be of interest to the digital diplomacy community. This week- Post-Pandemic Technology Trends. It’s Time To Identify The Friends & the Enemies (Forbes)Google’s Internet Ad Dominance Draws Fresh E.U. Antitrust Inquiry (The New York Times)Can technology help solve the biodiversity crisis?... Continue Reading →
Although booted out of office, Tony Blair remains an astute observer of international affairs. In a recent statement, Blair argued that the 21st century will be governed by three giants: China, thanks to its military and financial power, and the US thanks to its financial prowess and mass investments in defense. The third giant has... Continue Reading →
During the 2021 International Studies Association conference (ISA), I had the opportunity to partake in a roundtable Chaired by Nick Cull and Nancy Snow. The two have just recently finished editing the 2020 Routledge Handbook of Public Diplomacy. Authors who contributed to the handbook, including myself, were asked to reflect on how Covid19 has influenced... Continue Reading →
Now is the age of nostalgia. Throughout the world we are witnessing a yearning desire to return to the world of yesteryear. The UK seeks to return to the Empire’s last stand in WW2. In Eastern Europe, populist leaders promise to resurrect a mythical past while in the West, there are those who long for... Continue Reading →
On the 17th of February 2021, the UAE’s Ambassador to Israel took to Twitter for the first time. In a tweet published in both English, Hebrew and Arabic, the Ambassador promised to strengthen ties between Israel and Emirates by ‘fostering peace, understanding and prosperity among our people and across the region’. Within 48 hours of... Continue Reading →
Each week, I publish a list of interesting articles, essays and reports that may be of interest to the digital diplomacy community. This week- Tech giants join with governments to fight Covid misinformation (The Guardian)Alibaba sets 'Single Day' sales record (The Wall Street Journal)Coronavirus to dominate Saudi-hosted virtual G20 summit (The Japan Times) Microsoft says... Continue Reading →
Exploring Digital Diplomacy 