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Reinventing the World's Second Oldest Profession: Diplomacy
in the 21st Century

Jorge Heine

Lecture held on Wednesday, June 30, 4:15 p.m., lecture hall A 702

In the 21st century, the ancient craft of diplomacy is undergoing radical changes. Diplomats must now engage a vastly larger number of players in host countries, as the age-old “club model” of diplomacy gives way to a less hierarchical “network model.” Although the environment in which diplomacy is practised has changed drastically, the adaptive behaviour of many diplomats and foreign ministries has not always kept pace with this new reality. This is part of the reason they are not fully able to take advantage of the many opportunities offered by increased international flows and interactions. Drawing on examples such as those of Hillary Clinton and how she has revolutionized US diplomatic practice, it is argued that diplomats are no longer sheltered from the political realm; that they are more accessible by and have wider access to non-state actors; and that they must respond to the vast array of demands these new factors pose.

Jorge Heine holds the Chair in Global Governance at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, is a Professor of Political Science at Wilfrid Laurier University and a Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), in Waterloo, Ontario. He was previously Ambassador of Chile to South Africa (1994-1999),India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka (2003-2007).

Jorge Heine’s visit is sponsored by the Mentorship programme of the Zukunftskolleg. He is the Mentor of Zukunftskolleg Associated Fellow Brigitte Weiffen.