KIONKA Riina - The Craft and Practice of EU Diplomacy (20h)

This compulsory course is a skills-focussed and practitioner-oriented class that provides students with an understanding not only of ‘the what’ of diplomacy but also of ‘the how’, that is, the craft and the practice of the diplomacy of the European Union (EU). It is built around real-life cases of conducting diplomacy in specific contemporary situations of EU foreign policy. These cases serve as a canvas for exploring various functions that an EU diplomat carries out within complex bureaucracies, political constraints and a rapidly evolving global context. Each case study deals with a different region of the world and illustrates both what worked and what did not... and why. After an introduction to the course and to EU diplomacy, the second and third sessions will focus on aspects of diplomacy that are more EU-internal in nature like analysis, reporting and coordination; the fourth and fifth sessions will deal with aspects of diplomatic communication including public diplomacy; and the sixth and seventh sessions will exemplify external aspects of diplomacy related to partners and outreach. The course also seeks to equip students with in-demand practical skills such as but not limited to concise writing of scene setters, speaking points and press releases. Except for the introduction, each session will consist of a lecture as well as a part dedicated to developing the related specific skill.

Professeur : Riina KIONKA

Fiche ECTS 2026-2027