Diplomacy For Beginners

Is diplomacy an exclusive topic to study? That's not always the case! This material provides an explanation of the importance of studying diplomacy for the general audience, even outside the International Relations academia. This lecture will show that a basic knowledge of world diplomacy is important in the era of globalisation. By the end of this lecture, it is expected that the students can proceed with a new perspective of seeing diplomacy as an inclusive field of study.

In this lecture, participants will learn the history of diplomacy from ancient to modern era. The things learned include the origin of the term diplomacy, how the term evolved, and some notable changes in the models of diplomacy since the Mesopotamian era to modern era.

Through this lecture, participants will explore that diplomacy is not only about all formalities, but also includes the most basic thing, namely communication between humans. Participants will learn about the verbal and nonverbal aspects of diplomacy.

Diplomacy and International Relations are sometimes considered the same two studies. In reality, the two are related but not necessarily the same. This meeting will discuss the position of diplomacy in the study of international politics and how different theoretical positions regard diplomacy as everyday practice.

The students have learned the relations between diplomacy and the study of International Relations. In this lecture, we will go deeper to learn how diplomacy relates to the formulation of foreign policy. This lecture will also discuss contemporary challenges toward the formulation of foreign policy amidst the uncertain world.

After learning how diplomacy relates to foreign policy and the study of International Relations, this meeting will discuss one leading feature that diplomats possess in their occupation, namely diplomatic immunity. The participants will learn the importance of immunity as a part of professionalism in the diplomatic career and how did it become a norm in the first place.

Now you have reached the end of Part 1. To kick-start your learning experience in Part 2, let's test your knowledge of Part 1 with this practice test.

Conventionally, we understand diplomacy as a practice carried out by governments to other governments. However, modern diplomacy now demands that the state can also make the public a new target audience. This meeting will equip participants with an understanding of how the public (including you!) are now positioned as diplomatic stakeholders that cannot be underestimated. Special emphasis is given to the role of the arts and culture in creating positive national images.

David Beckham, Angelina Jolie, Bono, to name a few, are famous individuals who have been involved as ambassadors in campaigning for certain international issues. How do celebrities play a role in modern diplomacy? Can ordinary citizens play a role in diplomacy? Find the answer in this lecture.

This meeting will review how diplomacy is used amidst crises. It will focus on crisis mediation as one main function of diplomacy. Participants will learn about the concept of crisis, multitrack diplomacy, as well as its implementation in the real world. After this meeting, hopefully the participant can gain a new knowledge about how diplomacy can serve as a means to avoid war.

This meeting discusses a new trend in diplomacy, namely diplomacy carried out by political actors at the subnational level such as cities and constituent states. In this meeting, participants are expected to have an understanding of the shifting focus of diplomacy practice from the elite to the local level.

The digital world is all around us! This meeting discusses the future of diplomacy in an era where information technology has controlled our communication patterns. At this meeting, participants will come out with a new understanding of the significance of using digital technology in diplomacy and how it will impact future diplomacy.