International Studies Compendium Project

Extract

Comment on this article   In this era of globalization the character and purpose of multilateral diplomacy as a key instrument and method of managing international relations is changing. The world diplomatic system that has developed over the course of nearly six centuries is being challenged by dramatic and fundamental changes in the international order since the fall of the Berlin Wall, such as the intrusion of non-state actors (e.g., civil society groups, transnational business enterprises, and prominent individuals) in international relations and the revolution in information and communications technology (ICT). These forces have undermined the global primacy of states in the international system and the role of diplomacy in keeping international society together and maintaining world order. At the same time, diplomacy's core elements – representation, negotiation, communication, information gathering, and promotion – have not diminished; rather they have grown even more important in this turbulent and difficult period of rapid and constant global change. The structures and processes of diplomacy, which are now predominantly multilateral, not only continue to play “an indispensable role in the articulation of states' international policy goals” they also “represent components of the evolving network of global governance” ( Manojlovic and Thorheim 2007 :10). Clearly, the traditional ... log in or subscribe to read full text