Digital Diplomacy and Relations Between Governments in The Modern Age

Subject Areas : Media Management

Ali akbar farhangi ¹ , Alireza Gharaati ² , Hassan Karbalaei Hajioghli ³

1 - عضو هیئت علمی دانشکده مدیریت دانشگاه تهران،
2 - نویسنده و عهده دار مکاتبات
3 - کارشناس ارشد دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد تهران شرق

Received: 2014-05-16 Accepted : 2014-08-17 Published : 2015-05-22

Keywords: Diplomacy, Digital Diplomacy, media,

Abstract :

The age of information has laid the ground for revolutionizing human life in every aspect, thanks to factors like thephenomenal growth in information technology. Meanwhile, diplomacy, with a precedence as long as history itself, and asalways, based on the two main elements of information and communication, has been prone to be affected by the features ofthe age of information more than any other social domain. Connection of far apart governments together via electronicnetworks, facilitation of entry to the international arena for new players, free flow of information, domination over theinternet, are all tell tales about a procedure that has changed diplomacy both in appearance content, making it in need for anew and fundamental re-definition and modification, giving birth to new forms of action, such as digital diplomacy which arenow important, given their role in relations between governments and international organizations.Digital diplomacy, in a general sense, means solving problems in foreign policy via cyber space while paying specialattention to the technical aspects of improving communication and the role of the media in serving diplomacy. The presentarticle tries to prove that cyber space is changing the frameworks of diplomacy and international policy. Initially, in doing so,it presents issues proving the fact that influential international media and networks employ the vast facilities of cyber space tomaterialize their own political goals in western countries and especially in the US. As for the next step, the article argues thatthese media by the use of effective cycle of medium and taking reactionary stances, attract audiences on one hand, and on theother, have an effect on global events by mobilizing individuals in social networks and coordination of goals and symbolizingthe ambitions of various groups and gatherings. So, the capabilities of international and social media and networks areunderstood and grasped by politicians as the fats that have shaped the main part of priorities in diplomacy.