State leaders and diplomats are in the process of negotiating a working relationship with social media. There’s a lot on the table – a variety of tools and platforms, each with their own advantages and limitations, and a range of actors using them to connect. Twitter is proving to be the most contentious negotiating point – how to use it most effectively, and to what end. In this series, we asked our contributors to consider the past, present, and future of Twitter and Diplomacy, and to continue the global conversation on social networks and diplomacy in a digital age.

Feature Essay

The Digital Diplomat: Connected and on Twitter

Matthias Lüfkens on the new tools of “21st Century Statecraft” and how diplomats are using them.

Why It’s So Tough for Embassies to Get Social Media Right

Brian Fung why the 21st century is a tough time to be a control freak.

Social Media, Diplomacy, and R2P

Sean Aday on the power of social media as a witness to atrocities.

Twiplomacy: Worth Praising, but with Caution

Philip Seib on the good and the bad of Twiplomacy.

Using Canada’s Voice in the Age of Digital Diplomacy

Renee Filiatrault on the importance of maintaining a disciplined voice online.

Social Media as a Tool for Public Diplomacy

Jennifer Charlton on the reach and transparency social media can bring to governments.

Theoretical Challenges, Practical Realities

Fergus Hanson on the challenges diplomacy faces in a wired, real-time world.

E-Diplomacy Beyond Social Media

Andreas Sandre on how technology as a whole – not just Twitter – is changing diplomacy.

From Diplomat to Twiplomat

Danish diplomat Karen Melchior on learning how to be a Twiplomat.

What It Takes To Become a Twiplomat

Anja Türkan on getting your government’s message heard by foreign audiences.

FOLLOW THE CONVERSATION ON TWITTER AT #TWIPLOMACY

WATCH MATTHIAS LÜFKENS, BRIAN FUNG, AND TAYLOR OWEN ON GOOGLE+ HANGOUT ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19 AT 10:30AM EDT

RECOMMENDED LINKS

Twiplomacy.com

Which world leaders are taking advantage of the opportunity to develop connections via the social network? Findings from the first-ever global study of world leaders on Twitter conducted by PR and communications firm Burson-Marsteller.

E-Diplomacy

AFP’s E-Diplomacy Hub visualizes, analyzes and measures the presence and influence of diplomatic actors on Twitter in real-time.

British Foreign Office Digital Diplomacy

British Foreign office maintains a “Digital Diplomacy” blog where they articulate their e-diplomacy policy and update on a number of online events and digital initiatives

Digital Diplomacy: Virtual Relations

The Economist welcomes you to 21st-century-statecraft where the U.S. is leading the pack and most other countries are lagging far behind.

More…

In the series

What It Takes To Become a Twiplomat

What It Takes To Become a Twiplomat

By:

Anja Türkan on getting your government’s message heard by foreign audiences.

Why It’s Tough for Embassies to Get Social Media Right

Why It’s Tough for Embassies to Get Social Media Right

By:

Brian Fung on why the 21st century is a tough time to be a control freak.

Social Media, Diplomacy, and R2P

Social Media, Diplomacy, and R2P

By:

Sean Aday on the power of social media as a witness to atrocities.

Twiplomacy: Worth Praising, but with Caution

Twiplomacy: Worth Praising, but with Caution

By:

Philip Seib on the good and the bad of Twiplomacy.

Twiplomacy: Using Canada’s Voice in the Age of Digital Diplomacy

Twiplomacy: Using Canada’s Voice in the Age of Digital Diplomacy

By:

Renee Filiatrault on the importance of maintaining a disciplined voice online.

Social Media as a Tool for Public Diplomacy

Social Media as a Tool for Public Diplomacy

By:

Jennifer Charlton on the reach and transparency of social media.

Twiplomacy: Theoretical Challenges, Practical Realities

Twiplomacy: Theoretical Challenges, Practical Realities

By:

Fergus Hanson on the challenges of a wired, real-time world.

E-Diplomacy Beyond Social Media

E-Diplomacy Beyond Social Media

By:

Andreas Sandre on how technology as a whole is changing diplomacy.

From Diplomat to Twiplomat

From Diplomat to Twiplomat

By:

Danish diplomat Karen Melchior on learning how to be a Twiplomat.