March 2021
Launching two blog series on diplomatic leadership and the ABCs of case teaching
The promotion of diplomatic leadership and teaching the theory and practice of the diplomat’s craft lie at the core of everything we do at the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy.
As we further this mission, we have launched two new series in The Diplomatic Pouch this, examining two important issues: diplomatic leadership, and the role of case studies in diplomatic training.
In order to explore what makes effective leadership in foreign affairs, we sought contributions from diverse authors in the ISD community and beyond.
ElsaMarie DSilva, founder & CEO of the Red Dot Foundation based in Mumbai, highlighted the role of the Global Diplomacy Lab, a project of the German Foreign Office that brings together traditional and non-traditional diplomats to tackle a range of 21st century global challenges:
Leadership | Diplomacy 4.0: Tackling global challenges through the Global Diplomacy Lab
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Foreign Service Officer Lia Miller, a recent panelist in ISD’s Diverse Diplomacy Leaders series, argued in her contribution that an effective leader is “people focused and values-driven”:
I’ve learned that there is no blueprint for leadership and that becoming a good leader is a step-by-step process. As someone who doesn’t fit the “classic” mold of a Foreign Service Officer, the perspectives, experiences, and point of view I bring also differ from the traditional as well. … What truly matters in a leader is not so much about what they can do, but rather how they make others feel, especially those who they lead. As basic as it sounds, a leader needs to be a decent human being, someone who doesn’t prioritize “the work” over the people who do the work.
In our most recent piece in the series, ISD graduate research fellow Ishanee Chanda reflected on the global and personal impacts of Kamala Harris’ ascent to the vice presidency of the United States in her piece, “The first but not the last.”
We’ll have more in this series in the coming weeks.
Case studies that examine past and contemporary global issues are a proven tool in diplomatic training and in the study of international relations.
For decades, ISD has advocated for the use of case studies as a tool in diplomatic training. In 2000, the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy published a book-length guide for professors looking to bring the case study method to their classroom, called “The ABCs of Case Teaching.” Prepared by Vicki L. Golich, Mark Boyer, Patrice Franko, and Steve Lamy — all pioneers of the case study method— the guide presented a comprehensive view assessment of how professors can systematically bring the case study method into their classroom.
In our second new blog series, we will be reproducing parts of this seminal study in The Diplomatic Pouch over the coming months, providing updates and additions for today’s educational and teaching landscape.
In the first piece, we explored the role of the teacher, and, in yesterday’s post, we looked at some of the fundamentals of the case method itself.
Case Studies | Case teaching and the role of the teacher
Stay tuned for more on case teaching in the coming weeks and months.
If you’re attending the virtual International Studies Association conference next week, why not stop by our virtual exhibit booth to learn more about our case studies library? We hope to see you there.
Thank you for engaging with ISD’s work!
We welcome any feedback you may have. Please send us an email to diplomacy@georgetown.edu. Continue the conversation with us on Twitter by following us @GUDiplomacy or visit our website, isd.georgetown.edu.
