Research programme

Diplomacy and Global Affairs

The research group Diplomacy and Global Affairs focuses on international diplomacy, international organisation, global, transnational, multi-level and comparative governance. Among key research topics are the European Union and the United Nations, EU current enlargement policy, rule of law in the EU, democratic backsliding and autocratisation.

Contact: Antoaneta Dimitrova

The group comprises of scholars in different stages of their career path all of whom taking active part in important and evolving academic and policy debates. At FGGA, the Diplomacy and Global Affairs seminar series has become a prominent feature of academic debates.

The Diplomacy and Global Affairs research group studies decision and policy making processes in global, regional and local governance contexts and their interactions. Ongoing research projects explore strategical action in EU enlargement, emotions in EU foreign policy, the EU’s sanction regime with a focus on citizens’ perspectives, the regulation and governance of transnational financial crime, rule of law in an international context, the role of international organisations in disaster relief and state and institution building.
The research group is also a well-known hub of research on diplomacy, showcased in The Hague Journal of Diplomacy, with academic research and accompanying debates on the theory and practice of diplomacy and its contribution to international politics.

Global Transformations and Governance Challenges (GTGC)

A broad perspective, linked to the Global Transformations and Governance Challenges (GTGC) research cluster explores on the ways in which various actors, including governmental and non-governmental institutions, can effectively govern global challenges in the context of the changing international order.

Global, regional and multi-level governance

Policy relevant research and public engagement are core aspects of the group’s activities. Members of the group are active in Leiden University’s interdisciplinary Europe Hub and involved in numerous international and national networks and projects related to global, regional and multi-level governance. Members of the group regularly provide policy recommendations to EU institutions, international organizations and national governments.

Education

The importance of changing dynamics in global and regional governance is underscored in the group’s contribution to teaching programmes. The Advanced Master Programme in International Relations and Diplomacy is the main programme associated with the group, directed by professor Hosli. Another key programme is the Minor in Global Affairs to which group members actively contribute.

Members of the Diplomacy and Global Affairs research group are also involved in the Summer School on the European Union, the United Nations and Global Governance, originally initiated by a Jean Monnet (Erasmus+) project. It is offered yearly in June for Master-level and PhD students and addresses a broad range of topics relevant to global governance, the EU and the UN.

Members of the Diplomacy and Global Affairs research group have been involved in several concluded PhD projects and are current supervisors of research related to the research group’s core areas.

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