Digital Diplomacy: Conversations on Innovation in Foreign Policy

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Through conversations with State Department officials, ambassadors, public relations executives, public policy experts, and academics, Digital Diplomacy explores what it means to be innovative in foreign policy and diplomacy. These leading experts explain what are the new dynamics, developments, trends, and theories in diplomacy brought on by the digital revolution in which non-state actors play an active role. Such access now provides diplomats the means to influence the countries they work in on a massive scale, not just through elites. The books focus on innovative approaches shows how both public and traditional diplomacy have been transforming foreign policy in the 21st century, highlighting new means and trends in conducting diplomacy and implementing foreign policy. The enhanced e-book version features interviews with the experts who appear in the book, including Carne Ross, the rock star of digital diplomacy; Teddy Goff, the Digital Director for President Obama's 2012 Campaign; Lara Stein, Director of TEDx; Ambassador David Thorne, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State, and more.

Reviews

Digital Diplomacy explores what it means to be innovative in foreign policy and diplomacy. . . .In this emerging camp in which few established truths exist, this book is a significant effort to compile different points of view about trends and to provide a glimpse on how various actors deal with them. The structure of interviews makes the book readable and accessible, and the additional resources cited and suggested open avenues for further learning about the topic. In the course of the plethora of interviews compiled in this book, Andreas Sandre shows an in-depth knowledge of the latest facts, debates and trends in the subject area. Readers will find references to studies, books, websites, online tools and experts in the digital world, innovation and diplomacy (and all the different combinations among them). This is all the more important given that, as Sandre reminds us, we live in a world in which, in Africa more people have access to mobiles phones than to clean drinking water. * Global Policy *
Sandre's work with practitioners who are coming to terms with digital technologies usefully complements the growing scholarly literature in diplomacy and communication studies. * CBQ *
Andreas Sandre offers keen insights regarding how the 21st Centuryinterconnected global information environment is generatinggreater public pressure on foreign policymaking and how diplomatsof all stripes must adapt as a result. -- P.J. Crowley, Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs
Digital Diplomacy offers fresh, compelling insights into how digital technologyis re-defining the future of public diplomacy. This highly informative book isan important contribution to the growing discussion and study of theintersectionbetween technology and diplomacy. -- Jian Wang, Director of the USC Center on Public Diplomacy
Throw the old diplomatic rule books out! Andreas Sandre explains how digital diplomacy is impacting and changing traditional diplomatic channels. Digital Diplomacy presents new challenges for diplomats and governments to overcome, and at the same time fuels innovative government efforts to listen to and engage with citizens that have too often been left out of the process. If you want to better understand the intersection of digital and traditional diplomacy this is the book to read. -- Joe Trippi, author of The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: Democracy, the Internet, and the Overthrow of Everything
The impact of social media on diplomacy has been all encompassing. It has changed the way governments communicate their messages, interact with each other, influence opinion and stakeholders, and the expectations the public has in an open, constantly changing and connected world. The very idea of who and what matters is altered. The very idea of how to deal with, and communicate what matters, however complex, has changed. Most importantly, digital diplomacy shapes and impacts both governments that have adapted, and embraced these trends and dynamics, and those governments that have remained still as this shift has occurred - choosing to ignore digital diplomacy doesn't make the consequences and implications of these changes any less real. Few industry operators have grasped the significance of these changes as Andreas Sandre. His views on digital diplomacy are essential reading. -- Alberto Nardelli, Data Editor at The Guardian
The arrival of social media has truly given substance and meaning to the phrase 'Power to the People'. Citizens of the world have more insight, more control and more influence over the new world order than ever before. Digital Diplomacy's rich and well-crafted insights quickly make you realize the impact and importance of a single tweet can go way beyond those 140 characters. -- Matt Navarra, Social Media Director at The Next Web

Author Bio

Andreas Sandre is the Press and Public Affairs Officer at the Embassy of Italy to the United States in Washington, DC and the author of Twitter for Diplomats (2013, DiploFoundation).