There are certain features of diplomacy that have remained the same over centuries of diplomatic practice. However, in the 21st century the environment within which diplomats operate is changing rapidly. The primary objective of this course is to give the student some understanding of the complexities of contemporary diplomacy and its ability to adapt to changing times. No longer is diplomatic practice confined to Ministries or Departments of Foreign Affairs. People are living and operating in a globalized world in which “intermestic” relations are replacing strictly international and domestic relations. Diplomacy is no longer confined to the remit of the state. States are still very important actors in contemporary international relations. But they have to share the contemporary global diplomatic stage with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Multinational Organizations (MNOs), and individuals – from scientists to celebrities to philanthropists to terrorists. So the era of secretive “club diplomacy is over and is being replaced by public “network diplomacy”. The goal of this course is to focus on the latter – i.e. contemporary international diplomacy. By the end of the course, students will be in a very good position to apply their knowledge in diplomatic settings, whether it be within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, within the United Nations System, within a Permanent Mission to the UN, within a regional organization like CARICOM, within a sub-regional organization like the OECS, or within an NGO that works across diplomatic environments.
Institute of International Relations
Faculty of Social Sciences
Compulsory Fees: TTD 1,485.00
Tuition Fees: TTD 2,700.00 (Contributing Countries); USD 1,500.00 (Non-Contributing Countries)
- Pre-Requisites: none
- Course Credits: 4
- Assessments: TBA
- Duration: January 20 – April 11, 2025
- Lecture Time: Tuesdays 4:00pm – 8:00pm (UTC−04:00)
- Mode of Delivery: Online