Andersen, Lise H; (2024) Multilateral Diplomacy and the Endless Frontier: A Study of the Management of Knowledge in the UN Negotiations on ICTs in the Context of International Security. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

Scientific and technological knowledge has become a core element of modern diplomacy. Consequently, diplomats are having to navigate massive volumes of this type of knowledge on top of their traditional tasks. As the primary institution for multilateral diplomacy, one might expect the United Nations (UN) to exemplify best practice in managing this increased demand on diplomats. Harnessing the concept of Knowledge Management (KM) from the business literature, and adopting and adapting Liu’s 2020 KM model, this thesis has developed a unique interdisciplinary methodology to systematically study this area. Focusing on the UN negotiations on ICTs in international security in the period 1998-2021, and based on data gathered through desk work, interviews, and unstructured non-participant observation, this thesis examines to what extent, and in what form, KM practices have been put in place to handle scientific and technological knowledge in this particular multilateral setting. In doing so, several significant findings are established. Initially, it is revealed that scientific and technological knowledge has played a minimal role within these negotiations. Considering knowledge more broadly, multiple activities can be conceptualized as KM practices. These practices, it is argued, do not, however, amount to an intentional, formal, and systematic KM approach. Rather they have largely been decentralized, individualized, ad hoc and informal in nature, which has contributed to their politicization. Instead of supporting all diplomats, these practices have only been available to select participants, reinforcing an already uneven playing field. Reacting to this, the thesis offers several practical recommendations to support diplomats in these negotiations. Furthermore, through observations made in the ICT case study, the thesis offers a concrete conceptualization of the term specialized diplomacy, highlighting its significance to wider considerations of KM. Moreover, through the consideration of a ‘mini case study,’ it was found that the ICT negotiations are not the only decades long multilateral diplomatic negotiation process having a scientific and technological dimension, in which a consistent and systematic approach to the management of this type of knowledge has not been implemented. These findings are significant, as they highlight that the UN, in practice, has not intentionally and explicitly accounted for the rapid growth in scientific and technological knowledge relevant to the studied multilateral processes.

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