On July 22, 2021, Science and Policy Exchange, the Institute for Science, Society and Policy, the National Research Council and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) hosted a science diplomacy event to introduce early-career scientists to real global science-policy issues and to guide them through evidence-informed policy scenarios. This blog is an adaptation of the author’s keynote speech.
Successfully addressing the grand challenges of our time will require science diplomacy. Climate change, emerging and disruptive technologies, COVID-19, and many other challenges require that we bridge and align science, society and policy imperatives both domestically and globally. In practice, this means bringing together the people, expertise, knowledge and institutions from all sectors to collaboratively forge solutions that will chart an effective path forward.
This is no simple task – but science diplomacy plays a key role in undertaking it.
What is science diplomacy?
Mauduit and Soler (2020) define the term “science diplomacy” by first breaking it down into its two major components:
Science: natural and social sciences, basic and applied, technology and innovation
Diplomacy: …the art and practice of conducting international relations between governments through dialogue, negotiation and cooperation
They then define science diplomacy as a growing field of study and practice seeking to understand and promote the linkages between science, technology and international affairs to address national and global challenges.
Science diplomacy encompasses several distinct but inter-related activities. New Frontiers in Science Diplomacy: Navigating the changing balance of power remains a landmark report. Published in 2010 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the British Royal Society, it breaks science diplomacy activities into three major categories:
- Science for diplomacy: scientific cooperation to improve relations between countries
- Science in diplomacy: informing foreign policy objectives with science advice (i.e., evidence-based or evidence-informed decision-making)
- Diplomacy for science: fostering international science cooperation
To this we can add the “science of science diplomacy,” that is, knowledge of the theory and practice of science diplomacy.
What would this fourth category encompass and what has research told us to date? This blog begins to scratch the surface by highlighting a few key themes.
The science of science diplomacy
We often talk about the “art” of diplomacy because there is no single or simple formula for success. There is no world government, so much of the work that happens internationally depends on negotiation, dialogue, cooperation, relationships and trust-building. It’s difficult stuff. It’s a craft and there is much to learn about it to be an effective science diplomat.
We can define the science of science diplomacy, therefore, as the theories, models, and methods of science diplomacy practice, teaching and training.
When it comes to theories of diplomacy, international relations scholarship has much to offer. Models of diplomacy like Robert Putnam’s two-level games offer an excellent but by no means the only example of research that advances understandings of the concept and practice of science diplomacy.
When it comes to teaching and training, there are many skills that scientists and diplomats can learn to be effective science diplomats. To begin with, Mauduit and Soler point out that they can learn a lot from each other.
For scientists, this includes basic negotiation skills (including those acquired through serious games); public speaking, communications and outreach; interpersonal, networking, partnership and coalition-building skills; cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary awareness; international project management; balancing scientific facts with the competing interests and values of diverse sets of stakeholders; and writing memos and policy briefs.
For diplomats, the list includes developing a deeper understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods like basic data analysis and critical thinking; dealing with data biases and incompleteness; understanding and managing scientific uncertainty; distinguishing between correlation and causation, and inductive and deductive reasoning; distinguishing legitimate science from pseudoscience and accessing reliable sources; identifying and accessing scientific experts in different fields, and conducting risk analysis.
Scientists and diplomats also can and should learn content-based knowledge from one other. For scientists, this means developing an understanding of the social sciences, public administration, machinery of government, the global economy, and distinguishing between scientific advice, advocacy and activism. For diplomats, this means learning about natural, engineering, health and social sciences, epistemology, research management and scientific networks.
Looking forward
Science diplomacy will be crucial to address grand challenges . How can we strengthen our collective science diplomacy muscle?
First and foremost, by supporting the next generation of scientists to develop their interests, abilities and skills. The social simulation organized last summer for early-career scientists by SPE, IIASA, the NRC and the ISSP is but one example of how this can be done. We need to include a focus on science diplomacy in teaching and training, both on and off campus. Emerging scientific and diplomatic leaders have a crucial role to play in this process.
Second, by increasing understanding that science diplomacy both fosters and supports countries working together on shared global challenges. Nowhere have we seen this more vividly in recent years than in the fights against COVID-19 and climate change. The opportunities go far beyond these examples. They extend to issue areas or moments in time when relationships between countries are conflictual and it is difficult for political leaders to collaborate. Relationships between scientists – whether in or outside of government – can help identify shared interests and pave the way for more productive government-to-government relationships in the future.
Third, by improving the capacity of foreign policy departments to receive science advice both from within and from external stakeholders. Demand for and capacity to receive science advice will be shaped by the perceived value of science advice to the attainment of domestic and foreign policy objectives. The crucial role of science diplomacy in the fight against COVID-19 offers an unprecedented window of opportunity to underscore the invaluable role of global scientific collaboration.
Finally, building any muscle requires understanding how it works. There is an urgent need for greater knowledge about the science of science diplomacy. This will take collaboration among practitioners and researchers across numerous disciplines. We have much to learn.
But the rewards to society of harnessing science diplomacy to its full potential will be vast. Addressing grand challenges demands it.