German Institute for Global and Area Studies | Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien

Digital Transformation Lab (DigiTraL): Digital Diplomacy and Statecraft

The Digital Transformation Lab (DigiTraL) is funded by the Federal Foreign Office. Its first phase “Digital Diplomacy and Statecraft” focuses on how digitalisation offers new opportunities, challenges, and instruments for foreign policy. It will identify the options and (security) threats of digitalisation to develop timely responses of (digital) diplomacy.
FFO, 2021-2024

Kooperationspartner

German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA)Auswärtiges Amt

Guest Fellows

Dr. Torsten Kathke Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz	Working on “Social Media and Politics”
Ravi Nayyar University of Sydney	Working on “Software Security Standards: The Core of the Quad (Cybersecurity Partnership)”
Ass. Prof. Dr. Cecilia Emma Sottilotta Università per Stranieri di Perugia	Working on "EU digital diplomacy and the Global South"
Dr. Melisa Deciancio Faculdad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, Argentina	Working on "Peripheral Countries’ International Insertion in a Changing Global Order: Digital Diplomacy in Argentinian Foreign Policy”

Dr. Torsten Kathke

Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz

Working on “Social Media and Politics”

Ravi Nayyar

University of Sydney

Working on “Software Security Standards: The Core of the Quad (Cybersecurity Partnership)”

Ass. Prof. Dr. Cecilia Emma Sottilotta

Università per Stranieri di Perugia

Working on "EU digital diplomacy and the Global South"

Dr. Melisa Deciancio

Faculdad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, Argentina

Working on "Peripheral Countries’ International Insertion in a Changing Global Order: Digital Diplomacy in Argentinian Foreign Policy”

Digital Diplomacy and Statecraft Policy Brief | 05.2023

The Quad: Carved in Code: Shaping (Inter)national Security through Reshaping Economic Incentives

This policy brief explores the cooperation of the Quad governments (Australia, the United States, and India) on tackling cyber borne threats to (inter)national security, focusing on their pledge to pursue certain minimum security standards for software procurement.

Ravi Nayyar

University of Sydney

Digital Diplomacy and Statecraft Policy Brief | 05.2023

Reducing the Weaponization of Digital Interdependence: The Overlooked Potential of the EU’s New Digital Regulation Package

The DSA is directed at protecting consumer rights and at enhancing accountability of platforms. The DMA serves to achieve fair competition on the digital market that has taken an oligopoly-like structure. We explain an aspect that is largely overlooked in the debate on the new regulation, its potential to reduce the weaponization of digital dependence.

Nora Kürzdörfer

Doctoral Researcher

Felix Garten

Hertie School of Governance

Digital Diplomacy and Statecraft Working Paper | 11.2023

Protocols and Platforms: Historicizing the Ideologies of Social Media

This paper explores precepts and ideologies of the internet generally, and social media companies in particular. It investigates suggestions to return to protocols rather than platforms and explicates that this is too simplistic as general policy. The paper historicizes the way we speak about the internet and seemingly neutral conceptions of freedom and free speech.

Dr. Torsten Kathke

Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz

Digital Diplomacy and Statecraft Policy Brief | 11.2023

Utopian Roots and Hybrid Futures: The Ideology and Governance of Social Media Platforms

Any discourse regarding the use by government officials, governance, or regulation of the internet in general, and social media in particular, must take ideology into account. Policymakers and stakeholders should question in which ways it is compatible with core democratic principles, especially free speech and minority rights.

Dr. Torsten Kathke

Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz

Digital Diplomacy and Statecraft Policy Brief | 01.2024

Digital Diplomacy and African Countries: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Prospects

International relations have changed as a result of the intersection of diplomacy and digital tools. This paper examines the embrace of digital diplomacy by African countries. The integration of digital tools in diplomatic practices offers African countries an array of opportunities to enhance their international engagement.

Prof. Dr. Olubukola S. Adesina

University of Ibadan

Digital Diplomacy and Statecraft Working Paper | 09.2023

A “Battle for Hearts and Minds”?: EU Digital Diplomacy towards the Global South

Based on the literature, official documents and collected via expert interviews with EU officials, this study delves into the state of EU digital diplomacy towards the Global South, problematizing key concepts and categories, exploring the role of actors, audiences and messages, and providing policy recommendations.

Ass. Prof. Dr. Cecilia Emma Sottilotta

Università per Stranieri di Perugia

Digital Diplomacy and Statecraft Policy Brief | 09.2023

EU Digital Diplomacy and the Global South

Digital diplomacy defined as an extension of traditional public diplomacy, i.e. the use of social media to achieve diplomatic goals has become a key channel for the EU to engage with foreign audiences and promote its soft power. The EU has intensified its digital diplomacy efforts directed at fighting disinformation and winning over countries in the Global South.