[Let’s Study Together: Global Diplomacy] Week 5 – To engage with and reflect on the course.

Video

Mediated/negotiated relations between representatives.

Summary of the course!

There are 195 different countries in the world today, with over 4000 cities that each have their own sovereignty. Most of the countries and cities can not survive on their own: they must interact and coexist with other cities. In order to create diplomatic relationships with other nations and cities, diplomacy is integral. The world is now a cluster of different countries forming relationships with each other. Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that the world is operated by the practice of diplomacy. Diplomacy is the friendly interaction between two or more countries. A country might form healthy relationships with a neighboring country by forming trade treaties or by forming alliances through diplomacy. However, not every relationship can be friendly. Failures in diplomacy may result in hostility between nations. Failures in diplomacy refers to when parties walk away with greater enmity and division between them. Also, the failure in diplomacy is to stop doing it. Therefore, when there is no ongoing conversations and the relationships are completely broken, with no possibility for a dialogue, it is considered as a failure. In order to succeed in diplomacy, which refers to reaching some kind of agreement that everybody is happy with, it is crucial to maintain continuous engagement and dialogue. Diplomacy is iterative, meaning that it is not a one shot thing. It is more in establishing relationship, rather than this bargain of give and take. There are examples of successful diplomacy even during war. Therefore, even within conflicts, it is important to keep searching for agreements. In order to succeed in diplomacy, a good diplomat is necessary. The qualities of a good diplomat is perseverance, patience, creativity, the ability to take risks, calmness, and also, a sense of good humor. It is also very important to know when to get involved and when to step back. Nowadays, non-state centric diplomacy is getting more and more relevant. Diplomacy are even taking action in intelligence cooperation, military relations, and even in the enmeshing of computer networks and databases.