Suchergebnisse

Innovative mechanisms of global governance are increasingly common, yet they defy easy categorization. The Alliance of Civilizations, a UN initiative that seeks to promote intercultural dialogue, is one such example. It is a hybrid entity that exhibits elements of networks, international organizations, and public–private partnerships, among other things. Only when we shift our gaze to its patterned activities do we discover that it might best be understood as a community of practice specializing in global-level public diplomacy. Practice-based analysis, therefore, allows a deeper understanding of the Alliance and, in turn, prompts a fresh consideration of an increasingly important form of diplomacy. I argue, in particular, that public diplomacy is not solely a national-level, state-oriented activity. In turn, this inquiry invites practice theorists to reflect on the degree of fit required to associate a unique social form with an identifiable set of patterned activities.

A social constructionist perspective on NAFTA trade conflicts illuminates the complex interactions between identity & interest formation. The chapter discusses the relationship between identity & culture industries as it affected Canadian, EU, & US positions in the NAFTA & GATT negotiations. Particular attention is directed toward the overlap between US trade policy & cultural policy. US material interests are thus interlocked with cultural interests, ie, the desire to export & reproduce its dominant cultural narrative along with maximizing profits. A constructivist comparative politics perspective facilitates the discussion's emphasis on the intersection of cultural identity & policy formation, its refusal of the "internal/external" dichotomy commonly invoked to describe international relations, & the dynamic processes by which identity narratives & international as well as domestic policies are mutually influential. 46 References. K. Coddon