Diplomacy in a social media environment: the bargaining model revisited

ABSTRACT

Social media presents a unique challenge for foreign policy experts. Unlike the platforms offered to diplomats and ministries of foreign affairs (MFAs) in legacy media, not only does it democratize the flow of information, but also changes the speed and volume at which information travels. In the realm of bilateral negotiations, MFA representatives must contend with the potential of social media to shape and change audience preferences and bargaining ranges in the processes of negotiations themselves. By conducting qualitative interviews with trade negotiators and policy officers in the Canadian department of foreign affairs, this article emerges new insights and challenges posed by social media for MFAs and unpacks how social media changes the traditional bargaining model in diplomatic negotiations. The insights gleaned from these practical experiences have the potential to better inform policymakers on how to leverage the advantages offered by social media platforms as well as mitigate its harms.

RESUME

Les médias sociaux représentent un défi unique pour les experts en politique étrangère. Contrairement aux plateformes offertes aux diplomates et aux ministères des Affaires étrangères (MAE), dans les médias traditionnels, non seulement ils démocratisent le flux d'informations, mais ils modifient également la vitesse et le volume de circulation de l'information. Dans le domaine des négociations bilatérales, les représentants des MAE doivent faire face au potentiel des médias sociaux pour façonner et modifier les préférences du public et les marges de négociation dans les processus de négociation eux-mêmes. Sur la base d'entretiens qualitatifs menés avec des négociateurs commerciaux et des responsables politiques du Ministère canadien des Affaires étrangères, cet article met en évidence les nouvelles perspectives et les défis posés par les médias sociaux pour les MAE, et explique comment les médias sociaux changent le modèle traditionnel de négociation dans les négociations diplomatiques. Les enseignements tirés de ces expériences pratiques pourraient permettre de mieux informer les décideurs politiques sur la manière de tirer parti des avantages offerts par les plateformes de médias sociaux et d'en atténuer les inconvénients.

Acknowledgements

The author thanks Dana Grinshpan, Noel Anderson, John Kotsopoulos, Martin Roy, and David MacDuff for their helpful feedback and comments on this paper. The author further expresses his greatest appreciation to the members of the trade policy, negotiations, and communications divisions at Global Affairs Canada for their generosity with their time and insights. Finally, the author thanks the Foreign Policy Research and Foresight division at Global Affairs Canada for supporting this project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Cheng Xu

Cheng Xu is a former Canadian Armed Forces infantry officer and paratrooper with overseas deployment experience. As a PhD Candidate in Political Science, he specializes in Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Development Studies. He was the 2021-2022 Cadieux-Léger Fellow and a senior policy analyst in the Strategic Policy branch of Global Affairs Canada. He has published in Civil Wars, Third World Quarterly, International Journal, and Genocide Studies International. He can be reached at [email protected].