Diplomacy and International Governance – Enhancing Practice Through Innovation in Theory and Analysis
Submitting Institution
Loughborough UniversityUnit of Assessment
Area StudiesSummary Impact Type
SocietalResearch Subject Area(s)
Studies In Human Society: Policy and Administration, Political Science
Summary of the impact
The impact arises from high quality analysis and evaluation of governance
practices — ]especially those linked to diplomacy at the national,
European and international levels. It centres on research carried out by
Professor Brian Hocking at Loughborough University between 2005 and 2013,
which has produced important studies of change and innovation in
diplomatic process. These projects have involved close contact with
diplomats and other government/EU officials, as well as dissemination to
civil society organisations and students in a variety of contexts, and
they have been influential in shaping debates about the future of
diplomacy and training of diplomats in the EU, Australia and Canada
particularly.
Underpinning research
The underpinning research was carried out at Loughborough University by
Professor Brian Hocking (Professor 2005-2010; Emeritus Professor 2010 and
onwards), building on research carried out in earlier periods and within
the context of the Centre for the Study of International Governance
(CSIG). The key findings of this research lie in three interrelated areas:
1) National diplomatic structures in the EU: This is an on-going
project (2000-2013) focusing on the impact of European integration on EU
Member State foreign ministries. Major findings relate to: a)
organisational adaptation as Member States redefine the concept of foreign
policy in response to enhanced EU integration; b) changed role definitions
as national diplomats develop behavioural narratives rooted in policy
coordination as distinct from a traditional `gatekeeper' role; c) the
changing concept of diplomatic representation within the EU as defined by
the functions of intra-EU embassies. [3.1; 3.2; 3.4]
(2) Worlds Apart? Exploring the Interface between Governance and
Diplomacy': In this project Professor Hocking acted as UK Convenor
of a large multi-national project. The broad aim of the project was to
critically examine global governance theorising and to reformulate basic
concepts of diplomacy in the light of its changing processes and
structures. The project linked Loughborough University with the Centre for
International Governance Innovation (Canada) and the Asia Pacific Centre
for Diplomacy (ANU, Canberra). Outputs included three major conferences in
each country involving policy practitioners and academics, a series of
policy papers and an edited book (Cooper, Hocking and Maley 2008). Its
major conceptual contribution has been to link traditionally separated
academic discourses focused on globalisation and diplomatic studies. Key
findings related to the changing character of diplomacy, especially the
rise of `network diplomacy' and `multi-stakeholder' diplomacy in the
period since the end of the Cold War. [3.3]
(2) Change and Innovation in Diplomacy in which Professor Hocking
was Principal Investigator in a project funded by the Canadian Government.
Major findings from this work have been the changing character of
`national diplomatic systems' the changing role of foreign ministries
within them, the rise of networked diplomacy, `soft power' and the
deployment of public diplomacy strategies by government agencies. The core
of the project involved extensive investigation of change within the UK
Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Canadian Department of Foreign
Affairs and International Trade. This has resulted in more focused work on
the deployment of public diplomacy strategies in UK Government
specifically with the Cabinet Office and the FCO `Engagement' project.
This work in turn led to the project `Futures for Diplomacy', spanning
2011-2012, in which Professor Hocking was engaged with the Clingendael
Institute in The Hague on research funded by the Finnish Foreign Ministry,
centering on the changing structures and processes of diplomacy and their
implications for the organisation of foreign ministries. Amongst the key
findings of this phase has been the confusion within Ministries of Foreign
Affairs when it comes to implementing network strategies in diplomacy and
the need to clearly articulate the role of the 21st century
diplomat in the light of conflicting objectives. [3.1; 3.5; 3.6]
References to the research
3.1 Hocking, B. and Smith, M. (2011) `An Emerging Diplomatic
System for the European Union: Frameworks and Issues' Cuadernos
Europeos de Deusto 44, pp. 19-42. ISSN: 1130-8354. (Substantial lead
article in an international journal).
3.2 Hocking, B. and Spence, D. (eds) (2005) Foreign Ministries
in the European Union: Integrating Diplomats. 2nd
edition, Basingstoke: Palgrave/Macmillan. ISBN: 13:978-14039-9775-3
(Significant collection which has been widely cited in subsequent studies
of diplomacy in the EU).
3.3 Cooper, A.F, Hocking, B. and Maley, W. (eds) (2008) Global
Governance and Diplomacy: Worlds Apart? Basingstoke:
Palgrave/Macmillan. ISBN: 13: 978-0-230-21059-2.
(Important international collection bringing together academics and
practitioners from a variety of international settings).
3.4 Hocking, B and Batora, J.(2009), EU-Oriented Bilateralism:
Evaluating the Role of Member State Embassies in the European Union', Cambridge
Review of International Affairs, 22(1), 163-182, ISSN 0955-7571.
DOI: 10.1080/09557570802683938
3.5 Hocking, B. (2005) `Rethinking the `new' public diplomacy' in
Melissen, J. (ed.) The New Public Diplomacy: Soft Power in
International Relations Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN
13:978-1-4039-4516-7. (Regarded as a major contribution to the
conceptualisation of public diplomacy strategies. The book has been
translated into three languages.)
3.6 Hocking B. (2012) `The ministry of foreign affairs and the
national diplomatic system', in P. Kerr and G Wiseman (eds), Diplomacy
in a Globalizing World: Theories and Practices, New York, Oxford
University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-976448-8. (Redefines the debate on
international policy governance through the concept of the `national
diplomatic system'.)
Key Grants
Dates |
Role |
Title |
Funder |
Amount |
2005-08 |
Hocking [PI] |
Innovative Representation in a Changing Diplomatic
Environment |
British Academy |
£7.5K |
2005-08 |
Hocking [PI] |
Change and innovation in Diplomacy: The Canadian and United States
Experiences |
Canadian Government (Sustained Studies in Contemporary Canadian
Issues) |
£20K |
|
Details of the impact
The reach of the research impacts created by this work lies in a
number of areas,, where it has influenced and informed policy debate. First,
there is the creation of networks involving EU and non-EU academics,
officials, diplomats at international and national levels, and
Non-Governmental Organisation representatives. In the case of the work on
diplomatic innovation, this took the form of collaboration with the UK,
Canadian, Finnish and Australian Ministries of Foreign Affairs and with a
range of academic institutions [such as the Asia Pacific College of
Diplomacy (Australian National University, Canberra] of whose
international advisory board Professor Hocking is a member] and think
tanks [5.2, 5.3, 5.4]. Between 2005 and 2008, Professor Hocking
was invited to address meetings at the Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade (DFAIT) in Ottawa attended by a DFAIT and other
government official and representatives of civil society groups [5.2].
At the EU level, a series of meetings on the changing role of foreign
ministries were held in Brussels, Paris and London convened by
DG-Relex/European External Action Service. Second, there is
knowledge transfer through workshops, policy papers, reports and policy
recommendations to a variety of official and non-governmental audiences.
On the public diplomacy agenda, a major forum for disseminating
information has been a series of three conferences held at Wilton Park
(the Foreign and Commonwealth Office conference centre) sponsored by the
FCO and attended by some 150 diplomats from around the world together with
meetings convened at the Institute of Government by the Cabinet Office and
FCO on the uses of `soft power' in UK diplomacy [5.1]. BH assisted
in the organisation of these meetings and gave presentations at them [5.7].
Third, the Futures for Diplomacy: Integrative Diplomacy in the
21st Century report has now been released
by the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is available on the
Clingendael Institute (The Hague) website where it has registered `hits'
placing it in the top five of the institute's major reports. A major
meeting of 45 policy planners from foreign ministries and international
organisations was held in The Hague in March 2013 and has been followed by
the first of a series of policy papers (The Future of Foreign Ministries)
on the changing nature of diplomacy [5.3]. Further meetings are
planned and are being discussed with national foreign ministries — ]such
as the South Korean and Swedish Ministries of Foreign Affairs. The Chinese
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Foreign Affairs University are
convening a conference in Beijing in November 2013 to discuss the Futures
report. Fourth, key issues relating to the research have been
communicated to a broader audience through op-ed articles and media
presentations. Thus, for example, when BH was advising the Australian
Senate Foreign Affairs Committee enquiry into Australian public diplomacy
(Canberra 2007) he was asked to write an article [`Diplomacy adopts a new
style', Canberra Times, 28 May 2007] and this was followed by
interviews on news programmes. Similarly, the Futures report has
been followed by op-ed articles in the China Daily, Japan
Times and Korea Herald.
The significance of the impact can be measured in part by
continuing requests from foreign ministries for briefings on change in
diplomatic structures. Current work is in progress with the FCO [e.g.Counterpoint
2020 - 5.6], and has been undertaken with the Dutch [5.5]
and Swedish MFAs. The explicit focus here is on policy innovation
especially in terms of diplomatic institutions, personnel and practices —
]particularly in the public diplomacy area. Much of this work represents
the application of scholarly research to the demands of policy makers in
new and changing environments. As section 5 indicates, this is evidenced
by: (i) the commissioning of reports and briefings by, foreign ministries
— ]for example, the Finnish Foreign Ministry and the FCO and Cabinet
Office in the UK [5.3, 5.4, 5.6, 5.7]; (ii) Work with UK Cabinet
Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Australian Government on
the ways in which `soft power' resources might be enhanced [5.1, 5.7];
(iii) Enhancement of debate on diplomatic processes globally and in the
European Union specifically, especially the European External, Action
Service (EEAS); (iv) Incorporation into diplomatic training activities at
European and broader international levels [5.8, 5.9]. For example:
College of Europe (Bruges), Clingendael Institute (Netherlands), Geneva
Centre for Security Policy and a number of diplomatic academies (BH is a
member of the International Forum for Deans and Directors of Diplomatic
Academies and was chair of the UK section 2004-7). The research has thus
contributed significantly to enhancement of policy debate among the
diplomatic and related communities, and has helped to shape the responses
of diplomats and diplomatic organisations to a changing global
environment.
Sources to corroborate the impact
The following sources of corroboration can be made available at request.
5.1 `Reconfiguring Public Diplomacy: From Competition to
Collaboration' in J.Welsh and D. Fearn (eds) Engagement: Public
Diplomacy in a Globalised World. London: Foreign and Commonwealth
Office, 2008. [Major output from work with the FCO's Public Diplomacy
Unit. Referred to by several foreign ministries re-evaluating public
diplomacy strategies]
5.2 `Change and innovation in Diplomacy'. Report submitted to
Canadian Department of International Affairs and International Trade,
2008. [pdf copy.]
5.3 `Futures for Diplomacy'. Report for the Finnish Ministry of
Foreign Affairs on current and future trends in diplomatic structures and
processes (September 2012) (pdf copy).
5.4 Written endorsement (e-mail to BH 13 June 2013) by the Deputy
Director of Policy Planning in the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
5.5 Endorsement by Jan Melissen, Clingendael Institute (the Hague)
of BH's work for the `Wise Persons Group' on Reform of the Dutch Ministry
of Foreign Affairs.
5.6 Work with the Counterpoint 2020 team at the FCO London and
with the British Embassy in The Hague.
5.7 `Soft Power and the Information Domain: Project Plan.'
PowerPoint Presentation August 2009. Foreign Policy Team, Strategy Unit,
Cabinet Office [This is an output from meetings of the `Soft Power Working
Group' of which BH was a member].
5.8 Invitation to engage in diplomatic training work for the
Geneva Centre for Security Policy on diplomatic change and (letters and
emails supplied).
5.9 Invitation to engage in diplomatic training work for the
Diplomatic Academy of Armenia (College of Europe with EU Delegation to
Armenia) (letters and emails supplied).