Introductory Questions
Origins of Diplomacy
Explore the origins of diplomacy in historical civilizations. How different was it than
diplomacy today?
Example civilizations to research:
o City-States of Ancient Greece | Han Dynasty China
o Byzantine Empire | Renaissance Italy | Ancient India
Look into the evolution of modern diplomatic institutions, concluding (for now) with the
Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations in 1961. Have the roles, responsibilities, and
privileges of diplomats changed significantly over time?
Diplomatic Institutions
o embassy | consulate | mission | asylum
o diplomatic immunity | diplomatic bags | rezidentura
Diplomatic Offices
o ambassador | envoy | minister | consul
o secretary | counselor | charge d'affaire
Approaches to Diplomacy
o gunboat | coercive | preventive | appeasement
o paradiplomacy | soft power | hard power
o nuclear | counterinsurgency | public
o dollar | cyber | zero-sum | third neighbor
Additional Terms to Know
o proxenos | paiza | plenipotentiary | peacemaker
o non-state actors | alliance | summit | embargo
o persona non grata | extraterritoriality | sanctions
o self-determination | polarity | realpolitik | ultimatum
Should schools teach be required to teach courses in diplomacy and conflict resolution?
If you were a diplomat working on behalf of your school, where would you be sent and what
would you be asked to do?
In first inaugural address, American president Thomas Jefferson called for "honest
friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none" - a doctrine that guided the foreign
policy of the United States for many years. Discuss with your team: what are entangling
alliances, and is it good for nations to avoid them? To what degree does the United States
follow this doctrine today? How about your own country?
Want to try diplomacy firsthand? Try playing this online version of a famous diplomatic board
game, one ostensibly beloved by figures such as John F. Kennedy and Henry Kissinger.
What can we learn from it?
How do different cultural expectations affect negotiations between countries? Consider
the case of Chen Guangcheng, which required some tricky diplomacy between two countries
with very different approaches to directness.
To thrive in today’s economy, nations must participate in regional and global trade
agreements. Research some of these agreements—including those that are up for
renegotiation, and those that failed. What is the difference between a bilateral and
multilateral trade agreement, and why might one be more difficult to negotiate than the
other?
As you explore how nations attempt to influence one another, consider the difference
between "hard power" and "soft power". Under what circumstances would you recommend a
nation employ one or the other, or are they always best used in tandem? Discuss with your
team: do we have the equivalents of hard and soft power in our everyday interactions and
entanglements?
Amidst all of the bloodshed of World War I, there was one Christmas day when thousands of
soldiers on either side temporarily banded together for the sake of festivity. Are there any
lessons we can take from this brief moment of harmony to apply in diplomatic efforts today—
and if so, are they also applicable to interpersonal situations?
Sometimes, the little ball moves the big ball. Explore how "ping pong" may have paved the
way to improved relations (and, arguably, economic interdependence) between the United
States and China. Discuss with your team: are there lessons to be learned from this case for
other difficult international relationships in the world today?
Consider this iconic image of the Yalta Conference toward the end of World War II, then
(after researching the details of the conference) discuss with your team: was this one of
diplomacy's finest hours?
Learn about the diplomatic maneuvering behind the signing of the Iran Nuclear Deal. Is it
indeed a triumph of diplomacy, and could similar arrangements be made with other nations?
Consider the practice of "panda diplomacy" by the People's Republic of China. Discuss with
your team: what makes panda diplomacy so effective, and do other countries use similar
tactics? Is it fair to the pandas?