B5586 - DIPLOMATIC PRACTICE IN THE XXI CENTURY

Learning outcomes

The course aims at providing students with a solid knowledge of the praxis at work in diplomacy, which combines formal and informal procedures of negotiations and networking. Thanks to a historical and global approach, students will learn to locate all diplomatic processes on their proper space and time and, by way of the focus on the interaction between diplomacy and economics, they will consolidate their knowledge on patterns of negotiations concerning inter-disciplinary sectors.

Course contents

Module One (Prof. Angeloni)

The course is delivered through lectures and provides an overview of the functions of a professional diplomat, presenting a wide range of real-world scenarios relevant to the profession.

The syllabus includes:
The evolution of the diplomat’s role – how events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall and globalisation have transformed diplomatic dynamics and responsibilities;

Bilateral relations: building privileged partnerships – the long road of inter-state relations, official visits, and the complex network of connections between institutions, leaders, and individuals;

The pathologies in the  international relations and the resolution of disputes;  when a diplomatic crisis freezes bilateral relations: the case of the Marò, a four-year episode that significantly impacted relations between Italy and India during India’s emergence as a global power;

Multilateralism today – what remains of the United Nations and the efforts to reform the Security Council; regional groupings of states and the evolving role of diplomacy in an increasingly multipolar world;

Conflict, prevention, and the fragmented world we inhabit – diplomacy in times of war, the many ongoing  conflicts, including lesser-known so-called low-intensity ones;

Consular functions – serving Italians abroad and beyond, through the protection and promotion of Italian communities overseas;

Soft power, cultural diplomacy, and integrated promotion as strategic tools of foreign policy;

Economic diplomacy – the evolving role of public support in helping Italian businesses expand internationally: guiding companies towards new markets, strengthening their global reach, and the methods and tools available; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs acting as an "agency" for the promotion of Italy, including the concept of nation branding and the role of the diplomatic network in achieving it;

Economic diplomacy and global trade turbulences. The path from export to internationalization , a journey many companies still need to embark upon, while others work to consolidate their global presence.

Looking ahead – the major challenges that lie before us and the role of the professional diplomat in the years to come.

 

Module Two (Prof. Degli Esposti)

This module provides an exploration of contemporary diplomacy through the framework of Foreign Policy Analysis and the discussion of global political dynamics. The module begins by introducing key theories and concepts for studying foreign policy decisionmaking, followed by an examination of the systemic context (unipolar and then multipolar) in which foreign policy is practiced. It then proceeds with the analysis of the foreign policy strategies and diplomatic practices of some of the major powers, the dynamics of conflict and diplomacy in the Middle East and the role of diplomacy in the pivotal global issue of climate change.

Lectures:

1. The Study of Foreign Policy I: theories and tools
2. The Study of Foreign Policy II: case studies
3. The End of the Cold War and the ‘Unipolar Moment’
4. The rise of a multipolar (dis)order
5. China’s economic diplomacy and power projection
6. Russia and the politics of revisionism
7. The Foreign Policy of the European Union
8. Diplomacy and conflict in the Middle East
9. The diplomatic dimension of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
10. Diplomacy and the climate crisis

 

For exchange students: the admission to optional courses of the LM/Master IR is allowed to incoming students at Master level (or fourth year of their BA).

As for other undergraduate students, in order to attend and pass the exam with proficiency, they must demonstrate to the Professor having already acquired competences in the disciplines of history of the international relations.

 

Students with DSA or temporary or permanent disabilities:
It is recommended to contact the responsible University office in good time (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it): it will be their responsibility to propose any adaptations to the students concerned, which must however be submitted, with a 15-day notice, to the approval of the teacher, who will evaluate the opportunity also in relation to the educational objectives of the course

Readings/Bibliography

Module 1. Suggested bibliography:

James Hillman, A Terrible Love of War, 2004

Amos Oz, The reckoning is not over yet, 2019

Lorenzo Angeloni, The Perfect crises, 2009, Amazon/Kindle

Anne Applebaum, Autocracy Inc. Penguin, 2024

 

Module 2: 

Suggested bibliography:

Teaching methods

Lectures

Assessment methods

Module 1:

Short practical exercises during some lessons (for verification only)

Exam (in person): written essay maximum 2/3 pages on a political or economic topic of international current affairs. 

  

2)Module 2: short paper (max. 3500 words) regarding one of the topics related to the course contents.  

Criteria for evaluation

1. Active participation in class discussions

2. Ability to provide in depth-analysis of case-studies

3. Proficiency in writing in academic English

for both modules, the final paper must be uploaded via EOL during the exam session.
In this respect, students must enrol in the related exam session via AlmaEsami in order to have access to EOL.

Teaching tools

ppt presentation; readings on Virtuale.   

Office hours

See the website of Enzo Angeloni

See the website of Nicola Degli Esposti