[ecrea] Foreign Policy Strategies in a Networked World: Governance After Brexit

*Foreign Policy Strategies in a Networked World: Governance After Brexit
*


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Workshop Convened by the Centre for Politics and Media Research


21 September 2018, Bournemouth University


Venue: Talbot Campus, BH12 5BB, Poole, Fusion Building, Room: FG 04

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*Conveners: *Dr Paweł Surowiec and Dr Alina Dolea (Bournemouth University)

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*Outline of the Workshop *

**

Is Networks Building the Answer to Britain’s Foreign Policy Issues in 
European Politics in the Post-Brexit Governance Era?

*Background*

The aim of this workshop, targeting scholars of foreign policy, media 
and communication studies as well as practitioners working in the field 
of diplomacy, is to explore strategies required for building, managing 
and maintaining diplomatic networks for the conduct of foreign policy in 
European politics. The central premise and rationale for the discussion 
about networked approaches to foreign policy stems from the scale of 
changes brought about and facilitated by a new emerging logic in the 
field of foreign policy and a political event such as Brexit, which will 
have long lasting effects on the practice of diplomacy and the conduct 
of foreign policy. In the field of diplomacy and statecraft, 
particularly in its sub-field of public diplomacy, the logic of 
networks, underpinned by the adaption of, and practices associated with 
social media platforms and hybridisation of soft power statecraft, has 
been gaining prominence for quite some time. It is only in the recent 
years when the logic of networks has been gaining prominence in the 
foreign policy and diplomatic circles beyond the realm of public 
diplomacy, and it has been developed into a measure for a real 
alternative to institutional governance solutions.

*Practical Considerations: From EU Multi-Governmentality to Strategic 
Networks*

For example, since the Brexit referendum, the United Kingdom’s diplomacy 
and soft power statecraft have been focusing on building closer 
bilateral and trilateral diplomatic relations with European states. At 
the same time, in this turbulent period for British foreign policy, the 
UK Government attempts to lay ground for governance after ‘Brexit’, and 
to develop and advance capabilities to meet the requirement for building 
sustainable networks outside of the frameworks of the European Union. 
Therefore, this workshop takes the United Kingdom and its European 
allies (e.g. Poland) as proponents of networked approached to foreign 
policy, and explores how the digitalisation of diplomacy extends to the 
advancement of governance solutions through: leadership issues, 
institutional practices and resilience strategies, allocation of 
resources, media strategies, policy making and how it can and should aid 
the development of diplomatic networks, particularly in the settings of 
a ‘strategic bilateral rapprochement’ emerging between the United 
Kingdom’s and its European allies such as Poland. This workshop will 
focus on the challenges to the participatory foreign policy making, the 
orderly execution of Brexit as a foreign policy orientation, and the 
requirement for empirical examination of ways in which: 1) conditions 
and resources which are required for the formation of sustained networks 
serving the foreign policy interests; 2) diplomats and public diplomats 
approach building and maintaining networks; 3) political and business 
leaders and citizens are being engaged with foreign policy issues; 4) 
digital media technologies aid the formation of networks; 5) finally, 
diasporic communities and their role in networks serving foreign policy 
interests.

*Theoretical Considerations: Power of Networks and Power in Networks*

Defining and measuring the power of a network is another way of 
investigating what networks are good for as foreign policy tools. What 
attributes do networks have that make them particularly sustainable and 
effective in particular circumstances, relative to institutional 
hierarchies or markets? When, for instance, would we strive to create a 
network of states or web actors rather than a more formal organisation 
or simply an informal coalition or club?

Making sense of power /in /networks, by contrast, means theorising where 
and how the United Kingdom’s, strategic European partners, and web 
allies should position themselves within the existing or new networks to 
be able to advance their own interests. These two types of power are 
interlinked and as participants understand that the network’s structure 
can enhance its power, it is likely to influence the overall structure 
as well as improve its position within it. This workshop aims to 
problematise both types of power as drivers of foreign policy.

**

*Themes For Presentations/Themes We Are Interested In*

**

 1. In what ways does British foreign policy set the priorities for the
    governance after Brexit?
 2. What are the characteristics of diplomacy and statecraft in the
    networked environments?
 3. How does, if at all, the logic of digital networks apply to the
    conduct of foreign policy?
 4. What architectures are needed for sustainable human and
    institutional networks for the conduct of foreign policy?
 5. Can digital media technologies be used as sustainable platforms for
    the conduct of foreign policy making and, if so, in what capacities
    can digital media organisations facilitate it?
 6. Issues-based or actors-based networks – what might work best for the
    United Kingdom in the post-Brexit European politics?
 7. What are the challenges and solutions to statecraft in the networked
    environments?
 8. What are challenges and solutions to diplomacy in the networked
    environment?
*Expression of Interest and Submission of Abstracts:*


Abstracts of 250 words outlining presentation title, spelling out key 
points, methods - if relevant -, and the line of argumentation are to be 
submitted to (psurowiec /at/ bouremouth.ac.uk) 
<mailto:(psurowiec /at/ bouremouth.ac.uk)> by 27 August, 2017, 5.00 pm. Please 
add all relevant names, affiliation and email address(es).

**

*Targeted Participants: *scholars of foreign policy; diplomatic studies; 
media and communication studies; public diplomacy and cultural 
diplomacy; practitioners of public diplomacy and digital diplomacy; 
public relations and nation brand consultancies; public relations for 
diplomatic institutions; representative from digital media 
organisations; foreign correspondents; diplomatic correspondents; 
leaders of diasporic organisations; leaders of academic institutions and 
courses; think-tanks; and research organisations.

*Targeted Audience(s): *See above. In addition, the event is likely to 
be attended by a group of students taking journalism and politics courses.

**

**

*We anticipate 15 presentations (15 min. each); informal participation 
is encouraged.*

*
*

*Please note that limited spaces are available. *


Programme details to follow.

*
*

*Informal inquiries: *(psurowiec /at/ bournemouth.ac.uk)



Dr. Pawel Surowiec
Senior Lecturer in Propaganda Studies


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