Para Diplomacy

This exploratory cohort study investigated the phenomenon of Digital Diplomacy by sub-state actors within the field of para-diplomacy, specifically the use of social media platforms by Catalonian Secretaries and Delegates of the Generalitat, and in particular how they use Twitter for the international promotion of its independence and/or its nation branding. A stratified significant sample of each year between 2013 and 2017 was collected using R software, and then analyzed using Nvivo. The methodology was based on Abela (2001), Krippendorff (2004), and Neuendorf (2002). The data shows that both Catalan public servants as well as its Delegates Abroad, use Twitter mostly for personal use. However, when analyzing only the contents about international or intermestic topics, it is observed that there is a tendency to publish topics related to independence rather than national brand.

Esta investigación cuantitativa exploratoria indagó en el campo de la paradiplomacia, a partir de la Teoría del Constructivismo Social, el fenómeno de la Nueva Diplomacia Pública, y en particular el uso de las plataformas de medios sociales para la política exterior de las subregiones nacionales. Este trabajo investigó sobre el uso que le dan a Twitter los actores subnacionales de Quebec y Cataluña para la promoción internacional de su causa independentista y/o de su marca país. Se tomaron como muestra los contenidos publicados en cuentas de los gobiernos centrales de Quebec y de Cataluña, de sus personeros de gobierno, de las delegaciones en el extranjero, y de los delegados que las dirigen –todos vinculados a la Relaciones Internacionales de cada caso- en dos periodos del año 2013, utilizando el software Brandwatch. La metodología del análisis se basó en distintos aspectos abordados por Landman (2008), Hernández Sampieri (2014) y Dahnke (1986) en el diseño de investigación, mientras que se empleó la técnica de análisis de contenido según Abela (2001), Krippendorff (2004) y Neuendorf (2002). En conclusión, los datos demuestran que Quebec realiza proporcionalmente más mensajes de Marca país, mientras Cataluña prioriza la promoción de su Paradiplomacia.

This exploratory quantitative research investigated in the field of para-diplomacy, from the Theory of Social Constructivism, the phenomenon of the New Public Diplomacy, and in particular the use of social media platforms in the foreign policy of the States. This work investigated how the sub-national actors of Quebec and Catalonia use Twitter for the international promotion of their independence cause and/or their nation branding. Two periods of the year 2013 were analyzed using the software Brandwatch to obtain the samples. The methodology was based in different aspects addressed by Landman (2008), Hernández Sampieri (2014), and Dahnke (1986) for the research design, while the content analysis technique was designed under Abela’s (2001), Krippendorff’s (2004), and Neuendorf’s (2002) ideas. In conclusion, data shows that Quebec makes proportionally more messages related to Nation Branding while Catalonia prioritizes the promotion of its para-diplomacy.

Jakarta is a megapolitan city which is the most exposed to globalization in Indonesia. Just like other world's megapolitan cities, it has a role as a center of national economy and culture. However, the city also contributes to causing climate crisis thanks to the carbon emission it has been producing for many years. The municipal government has been pursuing its ambition to be an environmentally friendly city by, one of the strategies, transforming longexisting mobility culture to sustainable urban mobility. This paper describes the innovation the municipal government has taken in diplomacy practice towards its British counterparts to pursue its interest. In addition, this paper describes the implications caused by regional development to the city's paradiplomacy. This paper argues that Jakarta can be the forefront in leading "green" campaign by exploiting what it has achieved in both domestic and international level in addition to the leaders' strong and continued commitment.

The Novel Corona Virus Disease or COVID-19 has caused unprecedented huge impacts and affected all aspects of governance including the relations among countries. Amid the crisis, subnational governments have demonstrated their international engagements and innovations in order to respond to the pandemic. Jakarta as the largest city and the capital city of the Republic of Indonesia became the national attention in early of the pandemic due to its functional position as the main gate of international mobility. However, the region held an international event called the International Youth Championship while the pandemic still existed. This research aimed to describe the region's objectives to carry out the event as a para-diplomacy practice. This research applied the qualitative research method with a descriptive analysis. In addition, the research utilized para-diplomacy concept as a theoretical tool to help describe such objectives. This research found that the regional government had a number of objectives in hosting the event; promoting the success of handing the COVID-19, promoting sports tourism in the post-pandemic, and introducing a new 'green' icon of the region. Those objectives belong to the economic and cultural dimension of para-diplomacy. This paper argues that Indonesian para-diplomacy is an asset inasmuch as the national government can harvest benefits from sub-national governments' paradiplomatic activities.