The Empowerment of Women in Diplomacy

Towns, Ann; Kreft, Anne‐Kathrin; Niklasson, Birgitta

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-64006-8_9

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Gender diplomacy is severely hampered by the pervasiveness of gender inequality, which is ingrained in social, economic, and political structures. Patriarchal norms and power disparities can keep women's voices in the background and reduce their ability to participate in decisionmaking (Towns et al, 2018). The persistence of gender prejudices and biases contributes to these power disparities by perpetuating stereotypes that women are less capable or better suited for diplomatic leadership positions.…”

Section: Multifaceted Obstacles Impeding Women's Participation In Dip...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Dissecting the Gendered Diplomacy Paradigm: Delving into the Participation and Far-reaching Influence of Women in the Realm of International Relations

Sumaira Hashmi,

Muhammad Usman Arshad,

Imran Ibrahim

2023

CISSMP

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Gender diplomacy is a critical examination of the impact of women on global affairs, specifically focusing on their roles in key diplomatic positions such as ambassadors, foreign ministers, and heads of international organizations. This article employs a thorough analysis of statistical data and trends to assess the extent of gender parity in decision-making positions within international relations. It explores the influence of women's participation in shaping international relations, emphasizing instances where their involvement has contributed to conflict resolution and the implementation of gender-driven strategies. The article also sheds light on successful examples of gender-equal diplomacy while addressing pervasive challenges such as minimal representation, glass ceilings, and cultural biases. Structural and personal barriers are explored, with a particular emphasis on the absence of gender-sensitive policies and the delicate balance required between work and family commitments. To propel gender equality within the diplomatic arena, the article proposes a series of strategic measures, including policy recalibration, awareness initiatives, and robust international cooperation. The overarching goal is to foster a diplomatic environment characterized by genuine and comprehensive gender parity

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Section: Multifaceted Obstacles Impeding Women's Participation In Dip...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Dissecting the Gendered Diplomacy Paradigm: Delving into the Participation and Far-reaching Influence of Women in the Realm of International Relations

Sumaira Hashmi,

Muhammad Usman Arshad,

Imran Ibrahim

2023

CISSMP

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“…Diplomacy as a profession has never fully accepted the distinction between public and private life. Stationed abroad, attending and organising social gatherings, diplomats have juggled different spheres of life for hundreds of years (Towns et al, 2018: 196). Yet Neumann (2005) suggests that while the personal is public for diplomats, given all the representation and personal touches needed, there is also a private realm ‘that does not come into play at all’ (p. 91).…”

Section: Boundary Work Of Blended Diplomacy: ‘Real’ Diplomacy and ‘Es...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Blended Diplomacy: The Entanglement and Contestation of Digital Technologies in Everyday Diplomatic Practice

Adler‐Nissen

Eggeling

2022

European Journal of International Relations

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This article develops a new theoretical approach to digitalisation in diplomacy, resituating conventional understandings of the relationship between diplomacy and technological transformation. Challenging the conception that ‘traditional’ diplomacy is being supplemented or challenged by new forms of ‘digital diplomacy’, we show how the ubiquity of digital devices and technologies makes disentangling analogue from digital diplomatic practices practically impossible today. The argument is developed through ethnographic observations of everyday diplomatic work in the European Union (EU) multilateral setting in Brussels as well as interviews with ambassadors, attachés, seconded diplomats, spokespersons and interpreters. To understand the place of digital technologies in diplomatic work, we develop the concept of blended diplomacy by which we mean the dual process of the entanglement of technical and social doings and the contestation regarding how this entanglement impacts professional diplomatic imaginaries and relations. Drawing on insights from practice theory and the sociology of science, technology and professions, we show how diplomatic actors demarcate their professional territory and protect their positions through boundary work. They draw horizontal boundaries between what they see as ‘real’ diplomatic work and distractions and vertical boundaries between themselves and other diplomatic actors, ranking people around status and skills. Overall, digital technologies are implicated in deeper struggles regarding what it means to be a diplomat. A focus on the blended character of diplomatic practice opens new avenues for research on how digitalisation, in contradictory and uneven ways, shapes norms, identities, and social relations and how it – through reflexivity, anxieties and contestation – may shape international politics.

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“…While women remain underrepresented in all political leadership positions, this is especially true in diplomacy. 1 Recent studies suggest that women occupy only 15 percent of all ambassadorships worldwide (Aggestam and Towns 2019, 23; Towns et al, 2018, 193), and most women ambassadors concentrate in less prestigious postings, which limits their career opportunities and political influence (Calin and Buterbaugh 2019; Schiemichen 2019; Towns and Niklasson 2018). Ambassadors represent their home country and its interests abroad.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Madame President, Madame Ambassador? Women Presidents and Gender Parity in Latin America’s Diplomatic Services

Erlandsen

Hernández-Garza

Schulz

2021

Political Research Quarterly

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This study focuses on the gendered nature of ambassadorial appointments. Analyzing the diplomatic services of ten Latin American countries between 2000 and 2018, we examine the factors that explain the designation of women to ambassadorships. More especially, we are interested in whether the election of women to the presidency in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Costa Rica had an impact on the gender gap at the top of those countries’ foreign services. Drawing on an original dataset on diplomatic appointments, we show that the presence of women ambassadors has increased only marginally over the past two decades. Furthermore, multivariate regression analysis demonstrates that women presidents on the left have (partially and temporarily) corrected the gender gap in their foreign services through political appointments, provided they had the discretionary powers to do so. Our findings suggest that the impact of women-led presidencies is conditional on the chief executive’s vested interest in gender parity and the scope of presidents’ prerogatives to appoint ambassadors. In so doing, the study contributes to debates on the descriptive underrepresentation of women in executive positions and the gender gap in diplomacy.

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The Empowerment of Women in Diplomacy

Cited by 6 publications

References 23 publications

Dissecting the Gendered Diplomacy Paradigm: Delving into the Participation and Far-reaching Influence of Women in the Realm of International Relations

Dissecting the Gendered Diplomacy Paradigm: Delving into the Participation and Far-reaching Influence of Women in the Realm of International Relations

Blended Diplomacy: The Entanglement and Contestation of Digital Technologies in Everyday Diplomatic Practice

Madame President, Madame Ambassador? Women Presidents and Gender Parity in Latin America’s Diplomatic Services

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