This Master's thesis analyses the characteristics of traditional diplomacy. Authors define traditional diplomacy as an institution that restores the structure of the Westphalian order of international relations, but they do not consider traditional diplomacy as a dynamic (changeable) concept. Globalisation has had a profound impact on diplomacy in the 21st century, which requires a reflection of the changes of traditional diplomacy in order to assess and understand how traditional diplomacy is still able to address the challenges in the international community and to what extent it is capable to pursue foreign policies of individual states. This requires an analysis at the level of actors, structures and the substance of diplomacy. The goal of this Master's thesis is to analyse how traditional diplomacy has adapted to the new circumstances of a globalised international community. The thesis shows that globalisation has led to crucial changes in traditional diplomacy, which are marked by the processes of structurisation and de-Westphalisation. The role of the state and traditional actors in diplomacy has changed. Diplomacy has expanded beyond foreign ministries and non-state actors have become involved. The objectives and methods of conducting bilateral, plurilateral and multilateral diplomacy have changed. Changes are taking place in the substance of diplomacy, which have become intertwined with transnational problem-solving and global governance. The state has changed its identity in traditional diplomacy and ceded a part of its Westphalian sovereignty with a view to successfully addressing the global challenges in the 21st century.
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