‘PANDEMIC DIPLOMACY’ AND THE POLITICS OF PARADOX: INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN THE AGE OF NATIONAL DISTANCING

Öz

Since the end of the Cold War no development has unravelled the international political system as much as COVID-19 pandemic. A health crisis is reshaping international politics, undermining global economy, frustrating global climate change talks, and creating several new challenges for diplomacy. Paradoxically, the world is coming together to combat a disease in a time of international travel bans, border closures and national distancing. In another dimension, nationalism is trumping internationalism in a time of global pandemic, where international cooperation offers hope. While the pandemic heralds a new order of international politics and diplomacy given its many legacies and challenges, it sustains the old order of super power rivalry, competition and cooperation. As COVID-19 pandemic untangles, political and diplomatic contradictions reinforce inter-state relations and create uncertainties around the prospects of vaccine development and the nature of post-COVID-19 world order. This study seeks to interrogate diplomatic practices of COVID-19 and how they have shaped global politics and diplomacy since the outbreak of the pandemic. The study argues that COVID-19 is a diplomatic and political paradox, and the challenges created by the pandemic have come to stay and will form the building blocks of global politics and diplomacy in the post pandemic era. Renewed inter-state relations and collaborations will provide a pathway to global prosperity post-COVID-19.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Covid-19
• Diplomacy
• International Cooperation
• Nationalism
• Pandemic

Kaynakça

1. 1. AFP News, ‘’EU Denies Softening Disinfo Report Under China Pressure’’. April 27, 2020. https://www.barrons.com/news/eu-denies-softening-disinfo-report-under-china-pressure-01587996904.
2. 2. Anderson and Aryes. (2015) “Economics of Influence: China and India in South Asia” Council on Foreign Relations. August 3. https://www.cfr.org/expert-brief/economics-influence-china-and-india-south-asia
3. 3. Bali, S. (2020). “Soft Power Diplomacy of China in third World Countries in the Times of COVID-19”. Magzter. http://www.magzter.com/article/News/Extraordinary-and-Plenipotentiary-Diplomatist/SOFT-POWER-DIPLOMACY-OF-CHINA-IN-THE-THIRD-WORLD-COUNTRIES-IN-THE-TIMES-OF-COVID-19
4. 4. Boyd, A., Gatewood, J., Thorson, S. and Dye, T. (2019). “Data Diplomacy”. Science & Diplomacy. Vol. 8, No. 1. May.
5. 5. Briant R, US National Security Adviser made the remark in an interview with Morning Edition Host Steve Inskeep, April 21, 2020.
6. 6. Crutsinger, M. (2020). “IMF head says global economy now in recession” ABC News March 27. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/imf-head-global-economy-now-recession-69843184
7. 7. Dubois, M., Wake, C., Sturridge, S. and Bennett, C. (2015). “The Ebola Response in West Africa: Exposing the politics and culture of international aid”. HPG Working Paper, October 2015. https://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/odi-assets/publications-opinion-files/9903.pdf
8. 8. Ekeruche, C. O. (2020). “The Case for debt relief in Africa amid COVID-19”. Africa Portal. April 14. https://www.africaportal.org/features/case-debt-relief-africa-amid-covid-19/.

9. 9. El-Zomor, M. S. and Yacoub, A. R. (2020). “The Paradoxical Effect of COVID-19 on Globalisation.” The Oxford University Politics Blog https://www.blog.politics.ox.ac.uk/the-paradoxical-effect-of-covid-19-on-globalisation
10. 10. European Data Portal. (2020). https://www.europeandataportal.eu/en
11. 11. Fin, N. C. (2020). “Diplomacy at the UN in the time of Coronavirus”. IPI Global Observatory, April 6. https://theglobalobservatory.org/2020/04/diplomacy-at-un-in-time-of coronavirus/ Diplomacy at the UN in the Time of
12. 12. Hamilton, J. M. (2020). Manipulating the Masses: Woodrow Wilson and the Birth of American Propaganda. Louisiana State University.
13. 13. Jacobs, A., Shear, M. and Wong, E. (2020). “U.S.-China Feud Over Coronavirus Erupts at World Health Assembly.” The New York Times May 18. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/18/health/coronavirus-who-china-trump.html
14. 14. Jacobs, A., Shear, M. D. and Wong, E. (2020). “US - China Feud Over Coronavirus Erupts at World Health Assembly.” The New York Times May 18. www.nytimes.com/202/05/18/health/coronavirus-who-china-trump.html
15. 15. Jozuka, E. and Wang, S. (2020). “China and Japan’s Relationship in thawing in the time of coronavirus”. CNN February 26. https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/25/asia/japan-china-coronavirus-enemies-to-friends-hnk-intl/index.html
16. 16. Kathy Bostjancic made this assertion when she was interviewed on a Voice of America television programme, Plugged In hosted by Greta Van Susteren https://www.voanews.com/media/2587636
17. 17. Kim, H. (2020). “Fears of new virus trigger anti-China sentiment worldwide.” Associated Press News http://apnews.com/04f18aafe1074a1c06b4203edcbdc661
18. 18. Larsen and Gramer. (2020). “China Casts Itself as Global Saviour While U.S. and EU Focus on Virus at Home”. Foreign Policy. March 19. https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/03/19/china-us-eu-coronavirus-great-power-competition/
19. 19. Li, C. & McEvleen, R. “Mask Diplomacy: How Coronavirus upended generations of China-Japan antagonism.” Brookings. Mar 9, 2020. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2020/03/09/mask-diplomacy-how-coronavirus-upended-generations-of-china-japan-antagonism/
20. 20. Lo, K. (2020). “Coronavirus: China donates another US$30 million to WHO after US funding halt.” South China Morning Post 29th April www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3081280/coronavirus-china-donates-another-us30-million-who-after-us
21. 21. Manor, I. (2019). The Digitalization of Public Diplomacy. Palgrave Macmillan.
22. 22. Nicolson, H. (1988). Diplomacy. New York: Oxford University Press.
23. 23. Padelford, N. J. and Lincoln, G. A. (1963). The Dynamics of International Politics. New York: Macmillan Company.
24. 24. Pelagidis, T. (2019). “China’s Backdoor to Europe”. Brookings. April 15, https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2019/04/15/chinas-backdoor-to-europe/
25. 25. PM Modi’s Remarks on Way Forward at Video Conference of SAARC Leaders on combating COVID. Press Release, Indian Prime Minister’s Office, March 15 2020. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1606468&RegID=3&LID=1
26. 26. Ramsay, A. (2020). “There is nothing so political as a pandemic”. Open Democracy UK. March 17. https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/theres-nothing-so-political-as-a-pandemic/
27. 27. Satow, E. (2011). A Guide to Diplomatic Practice. Vol. 1. London: Cambridge University Press.
28. 28. Stauffer, B. (2020). “How The World Will Look After The Coronavirus Pandemic.” Foreign Policy. March 2. https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/03/02/world-order-after-coronavirus-pandemic/
29. 29. Tzu, S. (2005). The Art of War (First Edition). New Delhi: New Dawn Press Group.
30. 30. US Office of Science and Technology Policy. (2020) https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/
31. 31. Wintour, P. (2020). “Dawn of Asian century puts pressure on Europe to choose sides: Diplomat.” Gulf Times. July 19. https://m.gulf-times.com/story/664156/Dawn-of-Asian-century-puts-pressure-on-Europe-to-choose-sides-diplomat
32. 32. Wong, B. (2020) ‘’How Chinese Nationalism is Changing’’. The Diplomat. May 26. https://thediplomat.com/2020/05/how-chinese-nationalism-is-changing/
33. 33. Yu and Kaene. (2020). ‘’China’s mask diplomacy during coronavirus pandemic reveals its two global faces’’. The Print. April 5. https://theprint.in/world/chinas-mask-diplomacy-during-coronavirus-pandemic-reveals-its-two-global-faces/394653/