What is it about?
In this book, edited by Volker Stanzel and based on a project at the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), Emillie de Keulenaar and I contributed the chapter "Critical Diplomacy and How Theory Can Inform Practice". Our essay is informed by new media theory. One of the main arguments is that we need to look at the back-end politics of the use of social media in diplomatic communication.
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Why is it important?
The variety and widespread use of digital tools affect our "technological condition", rather than that they are mere tools or help shape the environment in which we use new technologies. Social media cannot be merely superimposed on existing diplomatic techniques and procedures. Essentially, they make diplomatic communication more political, and the new media have a profound effect on relations between governments and their citizens - an issue that deserves more study.
Perspectives
Is has been great to work with my early career and wise co-author on this project. The book has also been published in German, under the title "Die neue Wirklichkeit der Aussenpolitik: Dipkomatie im 21. Jahrhundert". An earlier and much shorter version of our argument in this chapter can be found in our case study of Korean digital diplomacy, which has been published by Global Policy.
Jan Melissen
Leiden University and University of Antwerp
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: New Realities in Foreign Affairs, January 2019, Nomos Verlag,
DOI: 10.5771/9783845299501.
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