Digital diplomacy and the strategy of political influence

Coordination

Inna Lyubareva et Julien Nocetti

Presentation

The idea of politically influencing another country or carrying out ideological expansion outside one’s own borders is not new, but digital technologies are giving new substance and scope to states’ strategies for influencing public opinion. They are also bringing in new actors who were previously foreign to the political and diplomatic arena.

This thematic issue explores contemporary strategies of informational influence in the context of current geopolitical and technological changes. Together, the contributions show how various actors – from states to large multinationals – employ sophisticated devices to manipulate, control and shape international perceptions and policies. The articles analyse the dynamics of informational influence from several angles. Some examine the evolution of propaganda strategies in contexts of armed conflict, illustrating how states adapt their operations to meet contemporary challenges. Other studies focus on the establishment of multinationals in specific national environments, revealing how they use recruitment and cooperation to infiltrate local political systems.

The theme of digital diplomacy is also central, with studies detailing the mechanisms whereby states cooperate to strengthen their influence through digital media. These analyses show the importance of asymmetrical power relations and of the resources mobilized to achieve strategic objectives in cyberspace. This issue additionally highlights the persistence of traditional propaganda paradigms in the face of new marketing approaches, underlining the challenges and resistance encountered by actors seeking to impose their narrative in an increasingly competitive global information sphere. Last but not least, the articles offer a critical perspective on the political and social implications of these influence strategies. They consider the consequences for informational sovereignty, digital governance and citizens’ rights in a world where the boundaries between information and manipulation are becoming increasingly blurred.

Editorial Board

Co-director: Valérie Beaudouin [valerie.beaudouin@ehess.fr]

Director: Patrice Flichy [patrice.flichy@u-pem.fr]

Editorial secretary: Aurélie BUR [aurelie.bur@enpc.fr]

Editorial committee: Jean-Samuel Beuscart, Dominique Cardon, Éric Dagiral, Fabienne Greffet, Christian Licoppe, Inna Lyubareva, Sylvie Octobre, Sylvain Parasie, Franck Rebillard, Olivier Voirol

Cover copyright: Creation Inna Lyubareva avec ChatGPT.