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On January 6th, 2021, riots broke out in Washington D.C. as an angry mob stormed the US Capitol. Though the rioters bore a striking resemblance to the inhabitants of trailer parks in Florida, scenes of armed and furious men seizing control of America’s seat of government shocked the nation, and the world. Some went as... 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- Students Bridging Diplomatic Divide Through Video Games (KPBS)The Time for Tech Diplomacy is Now (The Cipher Brief)Diplomacy's Response to Covid's Existential Threat (The Times of Israel)Here's How Biden Will Work With... Continue Reading →
The Value of Facebook Comments When reviewing the US State Department’s Facebook account, it becomes apparent that the Department is in the midst of two digital campaigns. The first focuses on China’s alleged misconduct during the Covid19 outbreak. The second argues that Iran’s nefarious activities in the region, and the world, must be met by... Continue Reading →
Trump Triumphs? During the 2016 Presidential elections, Donald Trump argued that he relied on his Twitter account to bypass the liberal American media and communicate directly with the American public. Having been denied access to the public sphere by newsroom elites, “the Donald” used social media win over the American electorate. Some have asserted that... Continue Reading →
It began with a necklace. A diamond necklace to be precise. It was purchased from two Jewish jewellers on behalf of the French Queen Marie Antoinette in 1785. The necklace, comprised of 647 stones, and weighing 2,800 carats, never made it to the Queen. Rather, it fell into the hands of a charlatan women who... Continue Reading →
Paweł Surowiec (University of Sheffield) and Chris Miles (Bournemouth University) During the Cold War, the categorisation between ‘high’ and ‘low’ politics, mirrored by 'high' and 'low' cultures, was distinguishable as a trend in public diplomacy. These distinctions became blurred and, in the early 2000s, a new trend emerged whereby ‘high’ politics began borrowing from 'low'... Continue Reading →
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 →
On August 13th, 2017, Nick Miller published an article in The Sydney Morning Herald titled "Getting it wrong could start a war: Welcome to age of digital diplomacy". The article, which attracted much media and social media attention, proposed that digital diplomacy could actually facilitate war between states. Similar sentiments have been expressed in recent... Continue Reading →
Images & Diplomacy Images have traditionally played an important role in diplomacy. For instance, paintings were often used to bare testimony to diplomatic summits and conferences. Such is the case with Gerard ter Borch’s painting of the treaty of Munster. Additionally, political cartoons were used to narrate a nation’s foreign policy, frame its adversaries, manage... Continue Reading →
Two weeks ago I evaluated the extent to which Donald Trump has been able to attract diplomats, MFAs, embassies and foreign affairs journalists to his Twitter account. My analysis suggested that most digital diplomats, and diplomatic institutions, do not follow Trump online. This week, I decided to expand my analysis and see if world leaders... Continue Reading →
