Public diplomacy and digital diplomacy: what type of dialogs between a diplomat and its targets?

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par Arifon, Olivier Cliquez pour télécharger la liste de publications de l'auteur
Référence Global Tasks for Public Relations in the 21st Century
Publication A Publier, 2016

Abstract de conférence

Résumé : In the traditional definition, diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of states. Long lasting time, diplomacy has for key function to promote interests and images. Public diplomacy, define in United States, ‘emphasises dimensions of international relations beyond traditional diplomacy; the cultivation by governments of public opinion in other countries; the interaction of private groups and interests in one country with another; the reporting of foreign affairs and its impacts on policy; communication between those whose job is communication, as diplomats and foreign correspondents; and the process of intercultural communications.’ (Cull quoted in Szondi, 2008, p. 2).Traditionally, public diplomacy had for target governments, elites, media, and academics. (Szondi, 2008) emphasises the lack of clear and stable definition able to identify the limits and the content of public diplomacy. But, for 10 years, communication processes, strategies and tools became the key point of public diplomacy.(Szondi, 2008, p. 11) indicate that, among other things, communication now includes social networks, targets are more and more fragmented, and research on reception is becoming important. Public diplomacy is oriented towards ‘to come closer together’.The wish of citizens for more transparency, the pressure of media and the wish of ministries of foreign affairs to develop their audiences is present context: ‘Digital diplomacy refers to the migration of diplomatic institutions and diplomats to the online world through the adoption of web 2.0 applications and ICTs .To develop our topic, I plan to introduce “The logic of connective action” approach (Bennett, Segerberg, 2012) which claims that digital media allows connexion and actions though sharing content. Our research question is: which connexion and what dialogues are possible between an embassy, a diplomat and its publics. Furthermore, will diplomats follow the same strategies as corporations do: engage, anime, dialogue? Our methodology is literature reviews, interviews with press officers (Swiss, Swedish and French embassies in Delhi, Paris, Brussels and Stockholm) and surveys of three case studies of Public diplomacy through interviews and Facebook and Twitter activities: Switzerland with “Swissando”, Sweden with “Midwife4all”, France with “Gout de France.”Are the logic of connective action and the wish of conversation realist? Can we evaluate it? Can digital tools and strategies succeed in building a certain type of relation between and embassy and a public at large, even if influence and persuasion remain the essence of diplomacy?