Public diplomacy as co-constructed discourses of engagement

This chapter reviews briefly the reconceptualization of engagement within the field of public diplomacy and argues that the recent critical turn can open new avenues for study and practice. Building on a sociological perspective (Castells, 2008; Wiseman, 2015) and on the concept of dialogic engagement (Taylor & Kent, 2014), public diplomacy is conceptualized as constructed discourses of engagement: a dynamic dialogic process and, at the same time, an outcome of the interactions and negotiations between state and non-state actors, with different power positions and agendas, who compete and influence each other, yet contribute to the co-construction of a public sphere. This theoretical discussion is illustrated with a case study - the campaign “Why don’t you come over?” of the Romanian newspaper Gandul.info and GMP communication group - to show different levels of engagement embedded in the concept of public diplomacy as constructed discourses of engagement: participation, interaction, and co-creation