Description
In an era of increasing distrust within bilateral and multilateral negotiations, the importance of trustworthiness, trust and trusting in diplomacy could not be more crucial for academics and practitioners. First, this panel places the focus of diplomacy back on individuals (whether state leaders, officials, diplomats or private citizens) as well as their perceptions, personal interactions, and practices - to and for whom - international studies exists. To do so, the papers in this panel will conceptually and theoretically examine trustworthiness, trust and trusting within various bilateral and multilateral diplomatic contexts from institutions like the UN and ASEAN through to US-USSR/Russian relations and Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Through the papers in this panel, a valuable discussion of the subtle nuances of these related concepts and their impact on how diplomacy is done, with whom, and fundamentally whether it matters - from diplomats involved in everyday diplomacy to state leaders dealing with a potential nuclear confrontation - can be had. Finally, this panel contains scholars from across different career stages and institutes, drawing on different methodologies and case studies, yet with a shared interest in better understanding the relevance of trustworthiness, trust and trusting, within international studies.
