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In recent years, digitalization has swept through diplomatic institutions altering diplomats’ working routines, norms, values and working procedures. In less than a decade, Ministries of Foreign Affairs (MFA) have migrated to social media, launched virtual embassies, written algorithms, created smartphone applications and conducted consular simulations. Some MFAs have been able to invest substantial resources in... Continue Reading →
Despite the emergence of new technologies the task of evaluating public diplomacy activities remains a daunting one. While scholars and practitioners have offered numerous definitions for the term public diplomacy, they have yet to agree upon a method for measuring the impact of public diplomacy activities. Some have suggested that public diplomacy is a means... Continue Reading →
Prof. Corenliu Bjola of the Oxford Digital Diplomacy Research Group recently concluded that the first stage of digital diplomacy has been a resounding success. Although MFAs are risk averse organizations who value discretion and shun from the limelight, they have successfully migrated to social media and adopted new communication practices that centre on information sharing,... Continue Reading →
Introduction In May of 2014, I published my analysis of the social network of world foreign ministries (MFAs) on twitter. My assumption was that MFAs would actively follow one another online in order to gather relevant information. For instance, by following other ministries an MFA may be able to identify policy changes in certain countries,... Continue Reading →
There seems to a prevailing opinion among International Relations’ scholars that our world is one of perpetual crises. The moment one crisis ends, such as the threat of Ebola, another begins, such as Russian military involvement in Syria. Communication has always been an integral part of crisis management. Moreover, diplomatic crises are often defined as... Continue Reading →
The 20th century saw the rise of multi-lateral diplomacy. Within one century, the major European powers were bound together politically and economically in the European Union while all nations of the world convened regularly in the great halls of the United Nations. In addition, the Cold War led to the creation of two multi-lateral organizations... Continue Reading →
In recent years, several international relations scholars have called on nations to adopt a network model of diplomacy. The term Network Diplomacy often refers to nations' need to create temporary coalitions in order to achieve their foreign policy goals. Such coalitions may be viewed as networks with each member of the coalition serving as a... Continue Reading →
Digital diplomacy may be viewed as a multi-faceted form of diplomacy. As a tool for public diplomacy, it may be used to communicate directly with foreign populations thereby facilitating the acceptance of one's foreign policy. As a nation branding tool, it may be used to shape and manage a nation's global image. Digital diplomacy may also... Continue Reading →
In May of 2014, I published my analysis of the social network of world foreign ministries (MFAs) on twitter. Through this analysis, I hoped to investigate the degree to which MFAs follow one another on social media. I was also interested in learning which world MFAs are most followed by their peers? Which MFAs are... Continue Reading →
Public diplomacy and nation branding activities often require close cooperation between numerous stakeholders. MFAs are in a unique position to coordinate public diplomacy and nation branding efforts as they may work horizontally with other governmental branches, PR firms and corporations and vertically with their network of embassies located all over the world. In the age... Continue Reading →
