Inside Diplomacy during the Pandemic: Change in the Means and Ways of Practice

Besides its economic aspect, the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the world of diplomacy deserves academic interests. The existing studies have not so far sufficiently covered ongoing tendencies in diplomacy during the pandemic, specifically focusing on possible changes of the means and ways of its conduct. This empirical research considers six major trends in the diplomatic practice caused by the pandemic, namely: (1) acceleration of ICTs penetration; (2) reappraisal of information security; (3) ensuring the reliability of public diplomacy; (4) further diversification of responsible duties; (5) the growing role of psychology; and, (6) the emergence of the hybrid diplomatic etiquette and protocol. This paper will discuss those trends in which the first trend covers the tendencies of ICTs' increased penetration rate, which temporarily made them the leading communication tool. In turn, the second trend is considered in light of the first trend's triggered factor, which calls for a reevaluation of information security in the period of an increased digital set of activities. The third trend captures the need for proper work with information by making public diplomacy more reliable. The growing intensity of diplomatic work during the pandemic is embodied in the fourth trend, which is about increasing diplomats’ responsibilities. The growing role of psychology, as the fifth trend, raises the problems of building a common area between negotiators and also its impact on tourism promotion efforts. In its turn, the sixth trend mentions the reevaluation of diplomatic etiquette and protocol for online and offline activities.

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