This Master's thesis examines how cities, as subnational actors, construct diplomatic agency and contribute to the transformation of state-centric diplomacy and the international community. As key global challenges are increasingly manifested in urban centers, cities are emerging as co-creators of contemporary diplomacy. This Master's thesis therefore analyses the practices through which cities establish and consolidate their diplomatic role. Based on a constructivist approach and the concept of multi-level diplomacy, it demonstrates that cities are no longer merely objects of foreign policies of states, but active diplomatic actors who shape norms, build their own identities and gain legitimacy through transnational networks. City diplomacy, as a part of multi-level diplomacy, is increasingly gaining legitimacy and influence. A comparative study of three global cities (New York, Paris and Singapore) illustrates the diversity of approaches and institutional arrangements in city diplomacy. The findings confirm that cities, through their practices, co-create a new dynamics in international relations and shift the understanding of diplomatic agency beyond the state itself.
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