Digital Diplomacy in the OSCE Region: From Theory to Practice (Contributions to International Relations)

This edited volume examines the practices and applications of digital diplomacy in the OSCE Region. As a security organization, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) prioritizes its member states’ cyber security and cyberspace activities. The book examines two key areas where digital diplomacy challenges traditional diplomatic practices of the OSCE member States: institutional adaptation and policy innovation in the OSCE Region. It (1) investigates how capable and motivated foreign ministries are at the institutional level to shift to digital diplomacy, and (2) explores how digital diplomacy affects the fundamental diplomatic tasks of representation, communication, and relationship management at the policy level.

Technological advances in IT and the Internet's widespread introduction in the wake of the 2000s provided new territories to conquer for states to pursue their interests. Moreover, technological developments and media attention enhanced information flow and communication through new platforms like online encyclopedias (i.e., Wikipedia), video-sharing sites (i.e., YouTube), and social media platforms (i.e., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter). Because of these transformations, public opinion became influential in diplomacy, and a greater need to include foreign publics as part of foreign policy goals emerged.

Introducing case studies from several OSCE countries, presented by an international group of authors, this book provides a timely response to current affairs and policy debates by providing pluralistic perspectives from different countries and disciplines, such as international relations, political science, international law, and political economy). It will appeal to students, researchers, and scholars of the aforementioned disciplines, as well as policy-makers and practitioners interested in a better understanding of digital democracy and digital diplomacy in the OSCE region.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erman AKILLI is a faculty member in the International Relations Department at Ankara Haci Bayram Veli University, focusing on foreign policy, Soft Power, and Public Diplomacy. He has authored numerous publications, including peer-reviewed articles (SSCI, WOS) and books published by esteemed publishers such as Routledge, Palgrave MacMillan and Springer Nature. Prof. AKILLI holds the position of chief editor at the OSCE Academy in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and serves as the Deputy Editor for Insight Türkiye.

Burak Günes is an Assistant Professor at the International Relations Department of Kirsehir Ahi Evran University (Türkiye). He holds a master degree in international law from the University of Sussex (UK) and a PhD in international relations from the Middle East Technical University International Relations Department, Ankara (Türkiye).

Oguz Güner is an Associate Professor at Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Department of International Relations (Türkiye). He holds a PhD from the Institute of Social Sciences, Department of European Union at Istanbul University (Türkiye). In 2018, he was a visiting fellow at the Faculty of Social Sciences of Aalborg University (Denmark). In 2019 Güner worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the European Societies, Actors and Governments Research Centre (Sociétés, Acteurs, Gouvernement en Europe) at the University of Strasbourg (France) under the Jean Monnet Program. His research focuses on the European Union, EU-Türkiye Relations, and the Balkans.