Diplomatic Communication and Reputation: Understanding Allies Better

Even the closest of allies will have sharply differing policy preferences.   Despite today’s information-rich environment, policy makers and diplomats can be taken off guard when counterparts from allied governments express an opposing position on an emerging issue.   When such differences appear, how can diplomats use available information to better understand and then smooth relations with allies?  This project will examine episodes in which U.S. policy was at odds with that of close allies, in this study to include Italy and Spain.  I start from Neustadt’s alliance politics model and advance it via the political psychology of diplomatic communication and reputation.  I will conduct content analyses from publicly available information sources to identify inconsistencies in both sides' messaging.  Nations who perceive themselves as more vulnerable to international crises on a wider range of issues may select the messages they think will resonate with their counterparts.  However, this selective reticence may lead to a lack of clarity or consistency, which may reduce their credibility with foreign partners.