Digital circumvolutions digital circumvolutions: When the US diplomatic audience came up with social media ; Circonvolutions numériques Circonvolutions numériques: Lorsque la public diplomacy des États-Unis se mettait à l'heure des réseaux sociaux

Abstract

In 2011 Judith McHale presented the "Arab Spring" and access to information through social networks as a double electroshock that would profoundly change US public diplomacy. However, other forces were at work. Diplomatic communication incorporating social media was theorised, debated, promoted and promoted well ahead of the 'jasmine revolution'. On the one hand, the communication paradigm underlying the type of public diplomacy practised by the sister Bush government was indeed inadequate in the Middle East. On the other hand, social networks were in the atmosphere during the first Obama mandate. Facebook, Twitter and other apps were therefore integrated into US diplomatic communication, but cautiously. In short, just like diplomacy, public diplomacy is changing, not a revolution. ; International audience ; In 2011 Judith McHale presented the "Arab Spring" and access to information through social networks as a double electroshock that would profoundly change US public diplomacy. However, other forces were at work. Diplomatic communication incorporating social media was theorised, debated, promoted and promoted well ahead of the 'jasmine revolution'. On the one hand, the communication paradigm underlying the type of public diplomacy practised by the sister Bush government was indeed inadequate in the Middle East. On the other hand, social networks were in the atmosphere during the first Obama mandate. Facebook, Twitter and other apps were therefore integrated into US diplomatic communication, but cautiously. In short, just like diplomacy, public diplomacy is changing, not a revolution. ; En 2011, Judith McHale présenta le « Printemps arabe » et l'accès à l'information que permettaient les réseaux sociaux comme un double électrochoc qui allait profondément modifier la diplomatie publique (public diplomacy) des États-Unis. Or, d'autres forces étaient à l'œuvre. Une communication diplomatique incorporant les réseaux sociaux fut théorisée, débattue, mise en avant et promue bien en amont de la « révolution de jasmin ...