Diaspora digital diplomacy: a comparative analysis of HALC, ANCA and AJC

Abstract

This thesis brings together diaspora public diplomacy studies and digital diplomacy studies to explore how diaspora public diplomacy has adapted to the digitalisation of diplomacy. This thesis explores the intersection of digital diplomacy and diaspora public diplomacy, focusing on the strategies employed by diaspora organizations to achieve diplomatic objectives. Drawing on the literature on both fields, the study analyzes the online presence, social media content, and advocacy efforts of three diaspora organizations - HALC, AJC, and ANCA - to demonstrate the distinctive role of diaspora and their unique approach to diplomacy. The methodology used involves a lexicon-based approach to categorize and analyze Twitter content from June to December 2022, with a thematic focus on ontological and physical security, as all three organizations demonstrated an ontological and physical security thematic agenda, suggesting that they are concerned with both physical threats to their communities as well as threats to their sense of identity and belonging. The study is framed from the perspective of Brinkerhoff’s three pillars outlining how diaspora diplomacy differs from public diplomacy, highlighting the unique role of diaspora identity, motives and involvement goals, and potential for advantageous middle-ground positions in public diplomacy. The findings suggest that social media can enhance diaspora diplomacy efforts, and the distinctive role of diaspora in promoting and achieving diplomatic objectives.