Regional diplomacy: a piece in the neo-medieval puzzle?

Abstract

Until recently, diplomacy has been regarded as the exclusive domain of the State. Recent evolutions in diplomatic theory and practice however repudiate this Statecentric exclusivity. By conceiving diplomacy as "the mechanism of representation, communication and negotiation through which States and other international actors (own italics) conduct their business" (Melissen, 1999) rather than "the official channels of communication employed by the members of a system of States (own italics) (Berridge, Keens-Soper et al., 2001)", a new and more dynamic picture of diplomacy emerges. Looking back at past diplomatic practices might shed new light on contemporary diplomacy. Looking through the lens of neo-medievalism can prove to be a fruitful way of looking back. The neo-medieval paradigm claims that we are entering a new global setting that in certain aspects resembles that of the Middle Ages. Neo-medievalism has a significant added value in that it introduces an historical component in the current debate about the metamorphosis of the world. However, one important element seems underresearched in the literature on neo-medievalism: an analysis and comparison of the diplomatic relations between the various polities that form the constituent units of both the medieval and neo-medieval international system. When we see beyond the State-centric concept of diplomacy (Hoffmann, 2003, p. 541), a number of tendencies in today's diplomacy come to the fore showing a striking resemblance with medieval diplomacy, and regions play a paramount role in this process. Globalisation led to fundamental changes in sovereignty, statehood and the territorial character of the State. These changes have resulted in a shift from the modern socalled Westphalian State-system to a new postmodern international system (Cooper,

City Networks as Tools of City Diplomacy – the Case of Seoul

“…These early forms of city diplomacy laid the foundation for the development of modern city diplomacy and the recognition of cities as essential actors in international relations. This impact is reflected in the current discussion about "neo-medievalism" (Spalińska, 2022), showing city diplomacy as one of the manifestations of this "simultaneous processes of fragmentation and integration associated with globalization" (Duran, 2019). The development of modern city diplomacy can be traced back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries when cities started to expand beyond their national borders through trade and cultural exchanges.…”