Diplomats have more information at their disposal now that they have ever had, but it doesn't mean that they know what it the optimal way (if there is one) to access that information efficiently.
In particular it is very important to be timely informed and to be able to follow last developments of events.
Video-conferencing was a big hype in the 1990s when it was promoted as a way to replace traditional meetings. As with much hype, it was followed by a "disillusionment" phase.
People simply preferred traditional meetings. In the meantime, video gradually entered into international conference rooms and meetings. Today, it is normal to have the keynote address delivered via video. Here is an example of one of fathers of the Internet, Vint Cerf, addressing the 4th Annual Meeting of the Internet Governance Forum in Sharm El Sheikh, 2009 (video by Seiiti Arata).
A good way to start exploring the field of e-diplomacy is to discuss the correlation between this theme and the theory of international relations. In this video, Joseph Nye explains how public diplomacy currently relies on "soft power", or convincing others to “want what you want”, instead of making others “do what you want” by using traditional "hard power" techniques, such as military resources.
How can diplomats make use of technology to improve their professional skills and communication? How do computer mediated communications affect diplomatic discourse?
What is the impact of a globalized and interactive media such as the Internet on public diplomacy? These are some of issues that will be discussed on this blog.
The e-participation blog will examine the definition and implications of the use of electronic and online resources for engagement and inclusion in global, regional, national and local diplomacy and governance. There are many questions to be addressed. The first that come to mind are:
WHY?
The amount of information that every diplomat stores in hard disks is growing fast. Therefore no matter how good you are in naming and organizing your files and your digital documents it will still be difficult to find the information you need.
Firstly, it is worth starting by reviewing what has been recently happening in the area of E-Policy or more particularly Gov 2.0 initiatives. 2009 witnessed a surge of interest by some governments in using and adopting Web 2.0 approaches to policy and programme development.
This blog will be exploring the implications of what we have called E-Policy – the use of online social media in helping to undertake global policy research. We will be focusing our attention on developments at an international level, but equally drawing on the exciting work starting to happen among national governments. We are hoping that as a result of our collective efforts we can build a community of interest among those who believe Web 2.0 approaches can help produce better global policy outcomes.
Do you use Twitter to spread information about ongoing consultations and to gauge public reaction? Do you use or follow any Facebook groups or topics to find out what public opinion really is behind the polls?
Do you write a blog to keep in touch with your constituents or policy groups, and use their comments as feedback?
Tell us what works/doesn't work for you--we would like to learn from your experience.
What are the best Negotiation and Participation Techniques for the Internet Era? Are they already being used? Who is using them? What are the results? Is e-diplomacy "real diplomacy"? Will e-diplomacy "ruin diplomacy" or make it a revolutionary negotiating technique to move forward on resolving some of the world's controversies?
It's time to find out. Post your questions, concerns, experiences and answers. We want to--no--we NEED to know!
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