Cultural Approaches to Diplomacy

The field of diplomacy is grounded in European and Western tradition. Today, however, multiple attempts are taking place in academic settings as well as in governmental and non-governmental organizations including centers of diplomatic training throughout the world. These discussions center on how to incorporate broader understandings of local and global dynamics into negotiations and peacemaking efforts while also learning from the different perspectives of communities that have not often been traditionally included in such conversations.This course provides an overview of a wide range of topics analyzed from Ethnic Studies and other social science approaches to the world of diplomacy and foreign affairs. By centering on varying understandings of concepts of race and ethnicity that have remained largely overlooked, this class will provide students with a framework that incorporates historical, socioeconomic, political, and cultural analysis and that can shed light to long rooted sources of conflict among ethnic, national, and international communities. These perspectives also help diplomats to seek solutions that acknowledge the different experiences and histories of multiple actors participating across governments and societies.

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