Digital diplomacy as a new soft power argument of the European Union

Year 2022, , 163 - 178, 31.12.2022

Tuğba Aydın Halisoğlu

https://doi.org/10.47934/tife.11.02.05

Cited By: 3

Abstract

Soft power is one of the concepts that stand out in the international relations. Along with the effect of globalization, soft power is the most important political tool to control and influence other societies in social and humanitarian areas such as language, culture, technology, and humanitarian aid. Digitalization, which contributes to globalization and transforms the process, is rapidly taking place at every level of social life from diplomacy to economy. In this context, digital diplomacy reveals itself in the context of moving soft power into the digital space; requiring the redesign of power balance in the digital field. The European Union has taken place effectively in the digitization process with the ability to adapt quickly to global change and transformations. In this context, digital diplomacy is one of the main areas that the European Union is quickly organizing and planning for its digital future. The concept of Digital Europe is often expressed between member states in the context of policy development with neighboring countries and international organizations, as digital diplomacy is effectively used. This study aims to take the concept of digital diplomacy from the theoretical framework and discuss its concept in the context of soft power, taking the European Union as a sample. In this study, content analysis will be used for analyzing the official documents published by the European Union, together with the literature. This study is intended to contribute to the digitalization process and political science, through the European Union perspective, together with power and diplomacy dimensions.

Keywords

Digital Diplomacy, European Union, Soft Power

Avrupa Birliği’nin yeni yumuşak güç unsuru: Dijital diplomasi

Abstract

Yumuşak güç, devletlerarası ilişkilerde öne çıkan kavramlardan biridir. Küreselleşmenin de etkisi ile birlikte diğer toplumları dil, kültür ve insani yardımlar gibi sosyal ve insani alanlarda etkilemek ve kontrol etmek için ele alınan politik algı araçlarından en önemlisidir. Küreselleşme sürecine katkı veren ve süreci dönüştüren dijitalleşme ise diplomasiden ekonomiye toplumsal hayatın her katmanında hızlı bir şekilde yer edinmektedir. Bu bağlamda dijital diplomasi, yumuşak gücün dijital alana taşınması bağlamında kendini göstermekte; dijital alandaki güç ilişkilerinin ve dengenin yeniden tasarlanmasını gerektirmektedir. Avrupa Birliği, küresel değişim ve dönüşümlere hızlı ayak uydurabilme özelliği ile dijitalleşme sürecinde etkin bir şekilde yerini almıştır. Bu bağlamda dijital diplomasi, Avrupa Birliği’nin hızla düzenlediği ve dijital geleceğini planladığı alanlardan biridir. Avrupa Birliği’ne üye devletler arasında, komşu ülkelerle ve uluslararası örgütlerle politika geliştirme bağlamında Dijital Avrupa kavramı sıklıkla dile getirilmekte ve dijital diplomasi etkin bir şekilde kullanılmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, uluslararası alanda dijital hakimiyeti pekiştirme sürecinde dijital diplomasinin bir yumuşak güç unsuru olarak kullandığı iddiasını Avrupa Birliği örneğinde değerlendirmektir. Bu değerlendirmede Avrupa Birliği tarafından sunulan resmi dokümanlar incelenerek, literatürle birlikte içerik analizi yöntemi kullanılacaktır. Bu çalışmanın uluslararası ilişkiler ve siyaset bilimi yazınında sıklıkla tartışılan dijitalleşme sürecine, Avrupa Birliği perspektifinden güç ve diplomasi boyutu ile katkı vermesi amaçlanmaktadır.

Keywords

Dijital diplomasi, Avrupa Birliği, Yumuşak Güç

References

• Arı, T. (2011). Uluslararası ilişkiler ve dış politika (9. Baskı). Bursa: Mkm Yayıncılık.
• Akçadağ, E. (2010). Yumuşak güç Japonya’nın sert güç arayışları. Bilge Strateji, 2, 1-28.
• Akyeşilmen, N. (2018). Disiplinlerararası bir yaklaşımla siber politika & siber güvenlik. Ankara: Orion Kitabevi.
• Aslan, P. ve & Oğuz, G. (2016). Dijital diplomasi, küresel algı ve Türkiye. Sezer, N., Gezgin, S. ve Yolcu, E. (Ed.), 14th International Symposium Communication in the Millennium içinde, (s. 573-590). İstanbul Üniversitesi.
• Ateş, D. (2014). Uluslararası politika: dünyayı anlamak ve anlatmak (2. Baskı). Bursa: Dora Yayınları.
• Bilgin, P. ve Berivan, E. (2008). Hard power, soft power: toward a more realistic power analysis, Insight Turkey , 10 (2), 5-20.
• Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy (2022). Our mission. U.S Department of State. https://www.state.gov/bureaus-offices/deputy-secretary-of-state/bureau-of-cyberspace-and-digital-policy/
• CCDCOE (2017). European Union equipping ıtself against cyber attacks with the help of cyber diplomacy toolbox. https://ccdcoe.org/incyder-articles/european-union-equipping-itself-against-cyber-attacks-with-the-help-of-cyber-diplomacy-toolbox/
• Ceyhan, A.İ. (2018). Siyasal iletişimde kamu diplomasisi. Ankara: Akademisyen Kitabevi.
• Coutu, D. (2008). Smart power. Harward Business Review. https://hbr.org/2008/11/smart-power
• Council of The European Union (2017). Draft Council conclusions on a framework for a joint EU diplomatic response to malicious cyber activities ("cyber diplomacy toolbox"). 9916/17, Brussels. https://ccdcoe.org/uploads/2018/11/EU-170607-CyberDiplomacyToolbox-1.pdf
• Council of The European Union (2020). Towards a more dynamic, resilient and competitive European industry:Council adopts conclusions. 16/11/2020. Press Release 777/20. https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/11/16/towards-a-more-dynamic-resilient-and-competitive-european-industry-council-adopts-conclusions/pdf
• Council of The European Union (2021). Foreign Affairs Council: outcome of the Council meeting. 3807th Council Meeting. Presse 21. Brussels. 1-9. https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-10700-2021-INIT/en/pdf
• Council of The European Union (2022a). EU digital diplomacy: Council agrees a more concerted European approach to the challenges posed by new digital technologies, Press Release. https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/07/18/eu-digital-diplomacy-council-agrees-a-more-concerted-european-approach-to-the-challenges-posed-by-new-digital-technologies/
• Council of The European Union (2022b). EU digital diplomacy: Council conclusions. 18.07.2022, Brussels: 11406/22. https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-11406-2022-INIT/en/pdf
• Cowan, G. ve Cull, N.J. (2008). Preface: public diplomacy in a changing world. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 616, 6–8.
• CPD (t.y). What’s PD. Center on Public Diplomacy, University of Southern California. https://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/page/what-is-pd
• Digital Diplomacy Index (2022a). https://digital-diplomacy-index.com/about/
• Digital Diplomacy Index (2022b). https://digital-diplomacy-index.com/index/
• Ermiş, U. (2018). Bir güvenlik sorunu olarak siber uzay. Türk Asya Stratejik Araştırmalar Merkezi. https://tasam.org/tr-TR/Icerik/50249/bir_guvenlik_sorunu_olarak_siber_uzay
• European Commission (2020). New EU cybersecurity strategy and new rules to make physical and digital critical entities more resiliant. Press Release, https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_20_2391
• European Commission (2022). Europe’s digital decade: digital targets for 2030. https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/europe-fit-digital-age/europes-digital-decade-digital-targets-2030_en#digital-citizenship-rights-and-principles-for-europeans
• European Commission (t.y.a). Shaping Europe’s digital future. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/international-relations
• European Commission (t.y.b). Digital inclusion. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/digital-inclusion
• European Commission (t.y.c.). Funding for digital in the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/activities/funding-digital
• Fan, Y. (2008). Soft power: power of attraction or confusion?, Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 4(2), 147-158.
• GDPR.EU (t.y). What is GDPR: The EU’S new data protection law?. https://gdpr.eu/what-is-gdpr/#:~:text=The%20General%20Data%20Protection%20Regulation,to%20people%20in%20the%20EU.
• İskit, T. (2020). Diplomasi tarihi, teorisi, kurumları ve uygulaması (7. Baskı). İstanbul: İstanbul Bilgi Üniversitesi Yayınları.
• Karabulut, B. (2016). Uluslararası ilişkiler: kavramlar, teoriler-kurumlar. Ankara: Barış Kitapevi.
• Kurt, G. (2018). Dijital diplomasi. Ankara: Akademisyen Kitabevi.
• Lee, G. (2009). A theory of soft power and Korea's soft power strategy. Korean Journal of Defense Analysis, 21(2), 205–218.
• Moret, E. ve Pawlak, P. (2017). The EU cyber diplomacy toolbox: towards a cyber sanctions regime?. European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) (24). https://www.iss.europa.eu/sites/default/files/EUISSFiles/Brief%2024%20Cyber%20sanctions.pdf
• Nye, J. S. (2008). Public diplomacy and soft power. ANNALS, AAPSS, 616, 94-109.
• Ohnesorge, H. W. (2020). Soft power: the forces of attraction in International relations. Switzerland: Springer.
• Özdemir, H. (2008). Uluslararası ilişkilerde güç: çok boyutlu bir değerlendirme, Ankara Üniversitesi SBF Dergisi, 63 (03), 113-144.
• Pawlak, P. ve Barbero, F. (2021). Green digital diplomacy. time for the EU to lead. European Union Institute for Security Studies. Brief:18. https://www.iss.europa.eu/sites/default/files/EUISSFiles/Brief_18_2021_0.pdf
• Ringhof, J. ve Torreblanca, J. I. (2022). The geopolitics of technology: how the EU can become a global player. European Council on Foreign Relations. Policy Brief, https://ecfr.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/The-geopolitics-of-technology-How-the-EU-can-become-a-global-player.pdf
• Smith-Windsor, B. A. (2000). Hard power-soft power reconsidered. Canadian Military Journal, 1(3), 51-56.
• Statista (2022a). Global internet penetration rate as of April 2022 by region. https://www.statista.com/statistics/269329/penetration-rate-of-the-internet-by-region/
• Statista (2022b). Number of monthly active Facebook users worldwide. https://www.statista.com/statistics/264810/number-of-monthly-active-facebook-users-worldwide/
• Statista (2022c). Number of active Twitter users in selected countries. https://www.statista.com/statistics/242606/number-of-active-twitter-users-in-selected-countries/
• Statista (2022d). Number of monthly active Instagram users worldwide. https://www.statista.com/statistics/253577/number-of-monthly-active-instagram-users/#:~:text=Social%20media%20usage%20worldwide,with%20114.9%20million%20active%20users
• Tsvetkova, N. ve Rushchin, D. (2021). Russia’s public diplomacy: from soft power to strategic communication. Journal of Political Marketing, 20(1), 50-59.
• Tuncer, H. (1995). Eski ve yeni diplomasi (2. Baskı). Ankara: Ümit Yayıncılık.
• Viotti, P. R. ve Kauppi M.V. (2016). Uluslararası ilişkiler teorisi (5. Basım). Metin Aksoy (Çev.). Ankara: Nobel Akademik Yayıncılık.
• Wheeler, T. (2021). Time for a U.S- EU digital alliance. Brookings Institute Report, https://www.brookings.edu/research/time-for-a-us-eu-digital-alliance/
• Wilson, E. J. (2008). Hard power, soft power, smart power. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 616, 110–124.
• Yıldırım, G. (2015). “Kültürel diplomasi ekseninde” uluslararası halkla ilişkiler perspektifinden kamu diplomasisi (1. Baskı). İstanbul: Beta Yayınları.
• Yücel, G. (2021). Dijital diplomasi. TRTakademi, 1(2), 748-760.