Diplomacy

This week global PR firm Burson-Marstellar launched its 2017 World Leaders on Facebook report. The study contains some findings that are anticipated and some that are surprising. …

Networks and narratives: Public diplomacy in the DFAT White Paper

This post is part of a debate on Australia’s foreign policy White paper 2017. Click here for other debate posts. Australia has a great story to tell the world, a powerful …

Does Australia need a Digital Ambassador?

Denmark’s recently announced plans to appoint a Digital Ambassador appear to be a world first: an ambassadorial representative from a nation state dedicated to an industy sector…

Radio Australia: The soft power tool eroded by neglect

This week the ABC pulled the plug on shortwave transmissions to its Radio Australia (RA) audiences across the Pacific and South East Asia. One by one, the lights of RA, Australia…

Including the first Australians in Australian diplomacy

This time last year, when former Chief of Army Lt Gen David Morrison AM (Rtd) was announced as Australian on the Year he described the benefits of embracing diversity in simple…

Middle East diplomacy: Assad will have to be included

While the intensity of violence in Syria may wind back in 2017, the transactional qualities and dilemmas of Middle East politics and diplomacy will be even more evident. The…

Why Chinese economic diplomacy is working in Southeast Asia

By Angela Han, an intern with the Lowy Institute's East Asia Program. When President Rodrigo Duterte stood in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing this October and announced…

Speeches

'Are we there yet?' An address from Natasha Stott Despoja

On 6 December, Natasha Stott Despoja AM, Australia’s Ambassador for Women and Girls, looked at destinations reached and travels still to be undertaken in the global journey…

Rebuilding trust in governments

Last week, I was on a panel at a conference for the Public Service on 'Thinking Big', run by the Institute of Public Administration. With other panellists, including Frances…

Commentary

Does modern diplomacy still need a global network of embassies?

In a special issue of Internationale Politik und Gesellschaft, the electronic journal of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Alex Oliver argues that embassies are still essential…