Transformational diplomacy : the role of cultural and media diplomacy?

Abstract

The thesis at hands traces a fairly recent development in the diplomatic sphere, namely the Transformational Diplomacy Initiative {TDI), which gained considerable importance in the last decade and largely shaped the US foreign policy during the Bush administration and beyond. Generally speaking the thesis seeks to adequately contextualize the TDI in a broader political scenery by comparing the role that both cultural and media diplomacy play in the TDI framework. Chapter I delineates the origins of the TDI which are clearly rooted in the US Foreign Policy especially since the incisive event of 9/11 marking a significant change in the American diplomatic matrix. Chapter II introduces the role played by cultural diplomacy within the framework of the TDI offering examples on how it can contribute to the cooperative solving of diplomatic tensions, through cultural activities, but also pointing out major shortcomings. Similarly constructed, Chapter Ill, focuses on the powerful role media diplomacy has within the TDI in shaping and positively {or negatively) influencing perceptions of the diplomatic counterpart, especially the highly globalized context of nowadays. The last part asks itself if transformational diplomacy can be a possible answer to the ongoing militarization of U.S. foreign politics and offers a number of concluding remarks.