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Diplomacy is the second oldest profession in the world, Parag Khanna, of The New American Foundation, reminds us. This is, of course, a well-known joke. Diplomacy is as old as human history, and indeed has changed over time. In the latest installment of Big Think‘s Edge, Khanna, a best-selling author, discuses diplomacy today.
Diffusion of Power
“Mega diplomacy is a reminder that diplomacy has always been about anyone who has the status, the prestige, the resources, the authority to be involved in negotiations on an international, on a global level,” explains Khanna. Diplomacy has historically been linked to the state, but that’s not the case anymore.
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The Internet grants new power to shaping diplomacy. Khanna discusses how it plays a critical role. “There is the power of the internet and communications technologies to allow any actor, whether it is again a university or a humanitarian group or a religious group, to reach out across the world and form their own connections,” he says.