The Role of Public Diplomacy in Advancing National Security: a Case Study of Kenya.

Abstract

In an environment characterized by international multi-actor engagements, the practice of traditional diplomacy is ever becoming untenable to meet the demands and the complexity of security issues in the global environment. In the 21st Century, matters of a country‟s security and interests abroad are not left only to the diplomat. This is because their traditional roles are now increasingly being undertaken by largely non-diplomatic actors. The range of actors involved in public diplomacy is increasing and the issues are becoming complexly interconnected, not to mention the proliferation of the utilization of social media. The focus on relations is intensifying along with the need for more sophisticated strategies. These shifts in the international sphere require a greater understanding of the role of public diplomacy in advancing national security. The purpose of this study was to analyse the role of public diplomacy in advancing National Security, using Kenya as a case study. The researcher identified a gap in Kenya‟s communication strategy which is fundamentally problematic given its passivity in relations to security given the imprecision of what is meant by security and the secrecy culture that engulfs international diplomacy and domestic security. The research used mixed research method with emphasis on the qualitative case study. Using the network theory, the study found that public diplomacy has a role to play in advancing national security even though it has been formally integrated as a tool for engaging foreign publics. The findings of this study will help policy makers in the field of foreign affairs to design public diplomacy policies focused towards national and international security interests and also contribute to the public diplomacy literature apart from highlighting areas of further research.