Mapping e-Diplomacy

This list of themes and topics is an attempt to map the field of e-diplomacy. It is work in progress, and all comments welcomed.

The five initial mapping categories include:

A. Role and position of diplomacy in the Internet era
B. Internet and the main diplomatic functions
C. Internet-based tools for diplomacy
D. e-Diplomacy on different levels
E. Organisational aspects of e-diplomacy

Source: 
e-Diplomacy Library
 Jovan Kurbalija, 2010

Resource text

A. ROLE AND POSITION OF DIPLOMACY IN THE INTERNET ERA

 

  1. Mapping the field of e-diplomacy: Introduction and Overview
    • What are the main areas of e-diplomacy?
    • How can e-tools enhance diplomacy?
  1. E-governance and e-diplomacy
    • What is the relevance of e-governance to diplomacy?
    • Which e-governance activities and approaches can be used by diplomatic services?
  1. Open Government and Diplomacy
    • What is an impact of e-facilitated open government policy on modern diplomacy?
    • What is the experience of the USA and UK in developing open governments?
    • How can diplomacy adjust to Internet-driven -multidirectional transparency-?
  1. The relevance of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations in the Internet era
    • Do we need to revisit some of the Vienna Convention regulations in view of changes of modern Internet-driven communication?
    • Are regulations on diplomatic communications still valid?
    • What about rules on diplomatic privileges and immunities?
  1. Changes in diplomatic communication and protocol in the Internet era
    • What is the impact of new forms of communication (e-mail, sms) on diplomatic language?
    • What changes has the Internet era brought to diplomatic protocol?

 

B. INTERNET AND THE MAIN DIPLOMATIC FUNCTIONS

 

  1. E-Participation and modern diplomacy
    • E-participation in the main UN conferences (websites, blogs and other forums where individuals and organisations worldwide can voice their views)
    • Remote participation as a way to increase inclusiveness of global meetings (Case studies: IGF, EuroDig)
    • Complex interplay between e-participation and traditional diplomacy
  1. E-negotiations - opportunities and limitations
    • How can diplomats adjust to the increasing pressure to negotiate online?
    • When is online negotiation appropriate, and when it is not appropriate?
    • What tools are available for online negotiations?
    • What if a diplomat does not like e-tools and e-negotiations? 
  1. Internet as a tool of public diplomacy
    • How can we use the Internet for public diplomacy?
    • How can small states use the Internet for their public diplomacy?
  1. Use of the Internet in consular affairs and crisis management
    • Best practices in the field of e-consul affairs (online visa applications, up-to-date country news)
    • Publicizing risks and warnings to citizens abroad
    • Crisis management - faster news dissemination on Web 2.0, easier communications in times of disaster, disaster relief coordination

 

C. INTERNET-BASED TOOLS FOR DIPLOMACY

 

  1. Web 2.0 and diplomacy
    • Social networking tools and diplomacy: relevance and risks
    • What is the experience of diplomatic services that intensively use Web 2.0
    • Opportunities offered by Web 2.0 for information management and collaboration
    • Instant response - errors caused by rapid, intuitive reactions?
    • Case studies (DiploWiki - US State Department; WorldChat - Swiss diplomatic service)
  1. Use of e-mail in diplomacy
    • Use of e-mail for diplomatic communication: appropriate practices and risks
    • Privacy and storage concerns
  1. Video Conferencing in Modern Diplomacy
    • Survey of the current tools and approaches for video conferencing and tele-presence
    • Case Study: Global Climate Change Meeting Platform (Copenhagen and Beyond)

 

D. E-DIPLOMACY ON DIFFERENT LEVELS

 

  1. E-diplomacy for small states
    • Can e-diplomacy help overcome the financial and human limitations of diplomatic services of small states?
    • Can virtual conferencing and tele-presence help small states to increase their -diplomatic footprint-?
  1. E-diplomacy and international organisations
    • Best practices in the use of Internet tools by international organisations
    • Use of Internet for preparation and running of the major global events
  1. EU and e-diplomacy
    • The European Union is one of the main promoters of inclusive and multistakeholder governance, through the use of e-participation tools; what is EU-s experience in e-participation and diplomacy?
    • Examples of how the newly established EU diplomacy (after Lisbon treaty) will use e-tools in its activities (web, blog, Twitter, virtual reality)

 

E. ORGANISATIONAL ASPECTS OF E-DIPLOMACY

 

  1. Security challenges for e-diplomacy
    • Confidentiality and discretion: challenges and solutions for the security of information and knowledge
  1. Preserving institutional memory in the digital era
    • Traditional and new methods of preserving institutional memory (digital archives)
    • New methods of knowledge management
  1. E-learning in diplomacy
    • Can online training provide professional upgrading while on-the-job?
    • Opportunities offered by e-learning for diplomatic services: solutions and best practices

 

Please provide your comments through a shared document here.

 

Printer Friendly and PDF