If diplomacy is correctly defined as being distinct from foreign Essay - 1

If diplomacy is correctly defined as being distinct from foreign policy, which diplomatic skills and qualities are essential in any foreign service - Essay Example These two concepts; foreign policy and diplomacy are used interchangeably. However this makes it critical and problematic when used in the sociological concepts and thus makes it quite critical and important to examine the nature of differences in the practice of both, diplomacy and foreign policy in the globalized world today (Constantinou and Hellmann). In the traditional international relations context, the link between diplomacy and foreign policy is seen and an â€Å"objective vs. tool† relationship (Constantinou and Hellmann), whereby diplomacy is considered as representing a â€Å"lesser tool of foreign policy†(James), and a communication and negotiation channel to objectively take up the foreign policy interests. Similarly in the traditional context Foreign policy is viewed as a practice where the main actors responsible for the effective functioning of the system, the bearers of sovereignty of a state or nation try to defend the internal interests of the nation or state in contrast to the external environment. Thus, in this perspective the concept of foreign policy turned out to be an outdated concept in the globalized world where the distinction between home and abroad is quite uncertain (Hill). In today’s globalized world the concept of Diplomacy as practiced in Foreign Service and foreign ministries has changed to a great extent. In the post collectivist era the governments had exerted on economizing ax more compared to their representation overseas and its management. The then need to save the tax revenue was backed by the idea to modernize the foreign services which in turn also meant to minimize the foreign services function. This had been the practice until the anti-collectivist era gained popularity. However after the emergence of Resident Ambassador the assessments of the foreign societies and the information pertaining to them took a new discourse in terms of diplomacy whereby it was communication that proved to be