People
Biljana Scott
Associate of the China Centre, University of Oxford
Dr Biljana Scott was trained as a linguist (BA in Chinese, M.Phil and D.Phil in Linguistics, University of Oxford). She is a Senior Lecturer in Language and Diplomacy at DiploFoundation and an associate of the Chinese Institute at Oxford University. She workshops internationally on political rhetoric, diplomatic language public speaking. Her current research is on implicit communication and the ‘unsaid’.
Related events
New Diplo Workshop on Diplomatic English
Diplo offers a new workshop on Diplomatic English by Biljana Scott and Liz Galvez. It focuses on improving diplomatic communication skills through practical tasks like writing, public speaking, and media interviews. T...
Workshop on implicit communication
This workshop focuses on implicit communication, aiming to enhance the skills of opinion shapers in various fields. Led by Dr. Biljana Scott, it covers aspects like codes, connotations, and indirectness in language. P...
[WebDebate] Diplomats as Writers: Marrying the arts and diplomacy
The WebDebate in March will delve into the intersection of diplomacy and literature, focusing on diplomats as writers. It aims to highlight the contributions diplomats make to cultural heritage through literature, exp...
Workshop: Diplomacy and the power of the unsaid
A 1.5-day workshop on diplomacy and implicit communication, focusing on the power of the unsaid, will take place on March 29-30, 2017, in Geneva. Led by linguist Biljana Scott, the session will cover topics like ambig...
Implicit communication in the digital era
Digital communication channels impact communication and diplomacy, leading to increased ambiguity and potential misunderstandings. The dangers of miscommunication have been highlighted in recent political events, such...
Workshop: Language and diplomacy workshop for Serbian MFA
DiploFoundation will conduct a Language and diplomacy workshop for the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, focusing on implicit communication commonly found in diplomatic language. Participants will engage in exercis...
Public Diplomacy: Language and Persuasion Workshop
Dr. Biljana Scott conducted a workshop on Public Diplomacy: Language and Persuasion at the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation, attended by 50 diplomats and officials. The focus was on ...
Workshop: Intercultural communication essentials
The workshop on intercultural communication essentials aims to prevent misunderstandings by promoting awareness of diversity in communication styles and cultural differences. Dr. Biljana Scott, an experienced linguist...
humAInism and Artificial Intelligence
Experts in various fields will discuss the intersection of artificial intelligence and humanism at the Centre for the Promotion of Science in Belgrade on December 20th. The panel will delve into ethics, linguistics, l...
The Power of the Unsaid – Diplomatic Communication in the AI Era (Workshop)
The workshop explores the impact of AI chatbots on diplomatic communication, focusing on their strengths and weaknesses compared to humans. It aims to decipher how chatbots fall short in aspects like subtlety, figurat...
Related blogs
The power of the unsaid and its importance in diplomacy
Dr. Biljana Scott discusses the significance of the unsaid in diplomacy, emphasizing the power of meaningful silence and implicit communication. She highlights how the unsaid can assist in buying time, influencing per...
Obama’s 2013 Inaugural: a doctor’s diagnosis
A detailed analysis is provided on the rhetorical devices used in Barack Obama's 2013 Inaugural Address, with a focus on the "X Y" construction that occurs frequently. This construction serves to pre-empt objections, ...
A Winning Story
The message discusses the significance of storytelling in modern diplomacy by analyzing three films: Lincoln, Monsieur Lazhar, and Life of Pi. It emphasizes the power of compelling narratives over mere credibility or ...
Mind the Gap (1)
The text explores the numerous gaps present in language, from misinterpreted words to missing ones, and how these gaps can lead to misunderstandings and manipulation. It delves into the significance of compound words,...
When Mislers misle themselves and us.
Hans Blix criticizes the administration's self-misleading behavior leading to the Iraq War. The term "misle" has evolved into slang for deceit or manipulation. David Milliband highlights how language, like the "war on...
Nul Points!
A diplomatic dispute arises over missing points in Eurovision voting, triggering reactions from Russian and Azerbaijani officials. Belarus also raises concerns about voting fairness. Surprisingly, Eurovision leads to ...
Fiddling with words while Syria burns
The text highlights the challenges faced during the Geneva talks regarding the Syrian conflict. The issues mainly revolve around differing priorities between the opposition and government, especially concerning the es...
A two-track approach to Syria: unyoking civilians and politicians
To address the crisis in Syria, it is crucial to separate humanitarian efforts from political negotiations. The ambiguity in the Geneva 1 Communiqué has hindered progress, causing a collapse in talks. A two-track app...
Freedom of satire
The text emphasizes the importance of valuing the freedom of satire as a separate concept from freedom of speech. Satire provides a crucial avenue for challenging dominant narratives and promoting alternative perspect...
Implicit communication: upcoming two-day event
A two-day event led by Dr. Biljana Scott in Geneva will focus on implicit communication. The workshop on diplomacy will explore unsaid elements in communication on March 29-30, while a discussion on implicit communica...
Diplomacy as poetry
The message explores the similarities and differences between poetry and diplomacy, highlighting how the two fields intersect in terms of values, redress, ambiguity, and ambivalence. It suggests that poetry can assist...
Intercultural communication and logical fallacies
The message discusses intercultural communication through the lens of logical fallacies, particularly focusing on hasty generalizations and stereotypes. It questions the impact of generalizations in intercultural comm...
No true Scotsman
The message discusses the "No-true-Scotsman" fallacy, which involves defending a generalization by dismissing counter-examples as irrelevant. It illustrates how this fallacy is used in various contexts, such as religi...
Humanising immigration: Taking the discussion further
The blog post discusses the importance of humanizing immigration by focusing on the human aspect often overlooked in discussions, the impact of terminology used, the role of diplomacy, and the potential for attitude s...
Has the coronavirus deprived us of choice?
The coronavirus has led to a shift from individualism to collectivism, highlighting the importance of a considered life and reevaluation of choices. It emphasizes the need for self-determination, not selfishness, and ...
Language during COVID-19: UK case study
Language has rapidly evolved during the COVID-19 crisis in the UK, evident in the creation of new terms, redefinition of existing words, and the use of metaphors. Tricolons are employed for rhetorical impact, emphasiz...
Related resources
Multiculturalism for the masses: Social advertising and public diplomacy post-9/11
The terrorist attacks of 9/11 have brought an old problem into new focus: how to unite a population potentially divided along racial, ethnic and denominational fault lines. In the light of unprovoked and indiscriminat...
05 Aug, 2004
A clash of professional cultures: The David Kelly affair
The Hutton inquiry into the death of Dr David Kelly, the senior British arms inspector in the UN inspection mission to Iraq who was found dead in an English wood in July 2003, offers revealing insights into the contra...
09 Apr, 2004
Framing an argument
Dr Biljana Scott’s article on framing an argument introduces the linguistic and rhetoric aspects of persuasion. The way in which we frame an issue largely determines how that issue will be understood and acted upon....
09 Aug, 2013
Diplo: Effective and inclusive diplomacy
Diplo is a non-profit foundation established by the governments of Malta and Switzerland. Diplo works to increase the role of small and developing states, and to improve global governance and international policy development.
Want to stay up to date?
Subscribe to more Diplo and Geneva Internet Platform newsletters!