Eleanor Finch
Traditional public diplomacy is a state-based practice of engaging with foreign audiences to strengthen ties, build trust, and promote cooperation. It is a mechanism through which nations foster mutual understanding, improve their image, and advance foreign policy goals. This form of diplomacy involves official relations between leaders and diplomats of sovereign states, often in private. With the advent of the Information Age and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the field of public diplomacy has evolved, and non-state actors, including ordinary citizens, civil society organizations, and private companies, have gained a more prominent role in international relations. This has led to the emergence of new public diplomacy, which involves a broader range of actors and a shift from state-centric interactions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| A transparent means by which a sovereign country communicates with publics in other countries | Promoting the national interest and advancing foreign policy goals |
| Official relations between leaders and diplomats representing sovereign states | Improving the "sending" country's image or reputation |
| Includes activities such as educational exchange programs, visitor programs, language training, cultural events and exchanges, and radio and television broadcasting | Shaping the wider policy environment in the "receiving" country |
| Enactment of events for the media | Building mutual trust and productive relationships |
| A way to influence public opinions and positions that influence the foreign political decisions of another government | Strengthening ties and promoting cooperation |
| Involves non-state actors such as civil society organizations and ordinary citizens | Enhancing "soft power" |
| A useful strategy for convincing the general public in foreign countries to support its foreign policy | Building a country's reputation and trust |
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What You'll Learn
The role of the media
Traditional public diplomacy is a state-based practice, where a country communicates with the publics of other countries to inform and influence them, ultimately to promote the national interest and advance foreign policy goals. This includes activities such as cultural events and exchanges, educational programs, and radio and television broadcasting.
The media has entered the exclusive sphere of diplomacy, actively participating in the communication between governments and publics about international politics. The media has become a means of foreign politics, calming and mediating, but also straining relations and conflicts. The globalisation of communication means that world politics is transmitted through media, particularly international television networks, in real-time, to a "global" public. This has led to claims that media organisations operate in a symbiotic relationship with governments, conforming to geopolitical agendas. However, it is important to note that media activity cannot completely substitute the activities of public diplomacy, as diplomatic reports are more information-rich and analytical.
The development of global communication networks has shifted public debate from the national to the global public sphere. This has resulted in diplomacy becoming more accessible to ordinary citizens and advocacy groups, who can now engage in grassroots public diplomacy, utilising social networking technologies to communicate with a global audience. This has been described as "furthering understanding through communication". An example of this is the 2008 US presidential campaign, where Barack Obama's pioneering use of social media technology helped him gain support.
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State-to-state diplomacy
Traditional public diplomacy is a means for a sovereign country to communicate with publics in other countries. It is a way to inform and influence foreign audiences to promote national interests and advance foreign policy goals. It is an integral part of state-to-state diplomacy, involving official relations between leaders and diplomats of sovereign states.
Public diplomacy activities in the context of state-to-state relations include educational exchange programs, visitor programs, language training, cultural events and exchanges, and media broadcasts. These activities aim to improve the "sending" country's image or reputation to shape the policy environment in the "receiving" country. For example, during the Cold War, the United States used Voice of America broadcasts to dispel myths about the West in Eastern European countries.
While traditional state-to-state diplomacy remains important, the rise of new public diplomacy has impacted the way foreign ministries operate. They now need to engage with new global actors beyond bilateral and multilateral diplomacy. This new public diplomacy involves a broader range of non-state actors, such as supranational organisations, sub-national actors, non-governmental organisations, and private companies, who communicate and engage with foreign publics to develop their own public diplomacy policies and practices.
In conclusion, state-to-state diplomacy is evolving with the changing nature of public diplomacy. While traditional state-to-state relations remain crucial, the impact of globalisation, democratisation of information, and the empowerment of non-state actors have expanded the scope of diplomacy, leading to the emergence of new public diplomacy and the increasing involvement of citizens and advocacy groups in international relations.
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Persuasion and influence
Traditional public diplomacy is a means for a country to communicate with publics in other countries. It involves official relations between leaders and diplomats representing sovereign states. Public diplomacy is enacted through the media and includes activities such as educational exchange programs, visitor programs, language training, cultural events and exchanges, and radio and television broadcasting.
Public diplomacy is a mechanism to strengthen ties, build trust, and promote cooperation. It is a key tool for nations to foster mutual trust and productive relationships, and it has become crucial in building a secure global environment. The practice of public diplomacy involves persuasion and influence, with the aim of shaping foreign public opinion and policy environments to align with the interests of the "sending" country.
Public diplomacy employs strategies of branding or cultural communication to improve a country's image and facilitate cooperation. Branding aims to create goodwill and maintain long-term alliances, while also countering enemy propaganda. For example, during the Cold War, the United States used Voice of America broadcasts to dispel myths about the West in Eastern European countries.
Political advocacy is another strategy used in public diplomacy to achieve more rapid results. It involves building foreign support for immediate policy objectives, such as costly military alliances. Public diplomacy can help foreign leaders cooperate by reducing the threat of domestic backlash. For instance, Kuwait's efforts in 1990 to gain U.S. popular support for an attack on Iraq illustrate this type of political advocacy.
The line between public diplomacy and propaganda can be blurry, and skeptics argue that public diplomacy is a euphemism for propaganda. However, diplomats reject this notion due to the negative connotations associated with propaganda. Public diplomacy aims to influence and persuade foreign audiences, but it also strives to avoid being perceived as mere propaganda.
With the advent of the Information Age and the democratization of information, public diplomacy has evolved and expanded beyond the exclusive domain of diplomats and government officials. "Ordinary" citizens, advocacy groups, and non-state actors now play a significant role in international relations and public diplomacy. The rise of social media and communication technologies has empowered individuals to engage in grassroots public diplomacy, contributing to a more democratic and inclusive diplomatic landscape.
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Non-state actors
Traditional public diplomacy is a means by which a sovereign country communicates with publics in other countries. Its aim is to inform and influence audiences overseas to promote the national interest and advance foreign policy goals. It is a key mechanism through which nations foster mutual trust and productive relationships.
The participation of non-state actors in public diplomacy is important for maintaining a dialogue and ensuring that those most affected by global decision-making are represented. For example, in climate change negotiations, inhabitants of regions most affected by climate change, as well as private sector organizations and cities, have been underrepresented. Similarly, in the Syrian refugee crisis, the refugees themselves and the civil society organizations supporting them have had little opportunity to influence discussions. Non-state actors can help to address these issues by providing bottom-up engagement and direct liaison with affected groups.
However, it is important to note that some non-state actors, such as multinational corporations, may promote their own ideals and pursue their own interests, such as advancing their agenda, relaxing regulations, and shaping attitudes among policymakers. NGOs, on the other hand, may focus on gaining more supporters for their causes and donors, strengthening regulations, and changing attitudes among the public.
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Democratisation of information
Democratization of information has played a significant role in reshaping traditional public diplomacy. The advent of the Information Age, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and the proliferation of communication technologies have empowered ordinary citizens and civil societies as influential actors in international politics and diplomacy. This shift has led to the emergence of "grassroots public diplomacy," where individuals and advocacy groups initiate diplomatic efforts previously dominated by states and official diplomatic entities.
The democratization of information has resulted in a broader conception of public diplomacy, challenging the narrow, state-based perspective. Non-state actors, including supranational organizations, sub-national entities, non-governmental organizations, and private companies, now engage meaningfully with foreign publics. They develop and promote their public diplomacy policies and practices, leveraging new media and communication tools to elevate their role and legitimacy in international politics.
The expansion of global communication networks has transformed diplomacy into a more inclusive process, transcending the boundaries of official state-to-state interactions. This transformation has led to the involvement of non-state actors and the general public in foreign countries, blurring the lines between traditional diplomacy and public diplomacy. The public, interactive dimension of diplomacy has always been integral to its success, and the increased accessibility of communication technologies has only heightened its importance.
The impact of democratization is evident in the shifting power dynamics within diplomacy. While traditional diplomacy was confined to diplomats, royal families, government officials, and politicians, the emergence of people diplomacy, citizen diplomacy, or "people's diplomacy" has brought ordinary citizens and civil societies to the forefront. This evolution reflects the contemporary trends of international relations and the growing influence of public opinion in shaping foreign policy decisions.
In conclusion, the democratization of information has significantly impacted traditional public diplomacy by expanding the range of actors, increasing global accessibility, and empowering non-state entities. The evolving landscape of diplomacy, influenced by the Information Age and advancements in communication technologies, has led to a more inclusive and dynamic diplomatic arena, where the power of information and its dissemination play a pivotal role in shaping international relations.
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Frequently asked questions
Traditional public diplomacy is the enactment of events for the media, where governments communicate and build relationships with the corresponding strategic bodies in other countries. It is a way for governments and private individuals to directly or indirectly influence public opinion and positions, which then influence the foreign political decisions of another government.
There are two basic kinds of traditional public diplomacy: branding or cultural communication, and political advocacy. Branding is when the government tries to improve its image without seeking support for any immediate policy objective. Political advocacy, on the other hand, uses public diplomacy to build foreign support for immediate policy objectives.
Traditional public diplomacy activities include educational exchange programs for scholars and students, visitor programs, language training, cultural events and exchanges, and radio and television broadcasting.
