2023 Summer School on Paradiplomacy and International Relations in Europe and Beyond

On 11 and 12 July 2023, Coppieters in partnership with the Wales Governance Center will host a summer school focusing on “Paradiplomacy”,  a transformative power for the diplomatic practice and the instruments of foreign policy across the world.

At the same time, it is challenging models of intergovernmental relations within states and building new forms of multi-layered governance. Despite increasing recognition of its significance in global politics, paradiplomacy remains a vague and contested concept. Despite increasing recognition of its significance in global politics, paradiplomacy remains a vague and contested concept, but one which is better equipped to examine the political dimensions of sub-state mobilisation across the world that cannot be captured by narrowly defined policy approaches. There is much confusion about how and why sub-states engage in paradiplomatic activity, whether in cooperation or in conflict with the nation state. In a bid for analytical clarity, scholars have developed diverse frameworks for analysis; however, paradiplomacy remains largely defined through descriptive analysis.

This Summer School is part of the research project “Between Cooperation and Conflict: Explaining Strategies of Regional Paradiplomacy towards the EU in Regions Inside, Outside and In Transition (1992-2022)”,

Hosted in the capital city of Wales, Cardiff, this Summer School will provide a highly interactive learning environment in which up to 12 PhD students will work alongside leading academics to analyse and evaluate the competing dynamics of paradiplomatic activity. With reference to real-world examples in Europe and around the world, students will develop a sophisticated understanding of both the concept and practice of contemporary paradiplomacy. They will be equipped to unpack the functional and territorial logics of paradiplomacy and, in turn, contribute to improving conceptual clarity in future scholarly research.

Upon completion of the Summer School, participants will be able to:

• Identify and explain the challenges of defining and conceptualising paradiplomacy, both within the EU and also beyond;
• Critically engage with the concept of “paradiplomacy” as a practice of international relations;
•  Demonstrate a strong understanding of the dynamics of regional strategies for engaging with the EU, including through structures of multi-level governance;
• Conduct comparative analyses of “paradiplomacy in action” across multiple case studies.

Planned activities

The Summer School comprises:

• a keynote lecture from Prof. Michael Keating (University of Aberdeen);
• seminars with paradiplomacy scholars including Dr. Noé Cornago (University of the Basque Country -UPV/EHU-);
• a seminar with practitioners led by Dr. Rachel Minto (Cardiff University);
• workshops for students to receive feedback on their research from an academic discussant and peers;
• a roundtable with academics including Dr. Sandrina Antunes (CICP-Universidade do Minho, Portugal) and Dr. Carolyn Rowe (Aston University) on a forthcoming Special Issue on Paradiplomacy;
• a Summer School Dinner.

Eligibility and application procedures

The 12 available places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. However, students who wish to receive feedback on a research paper in one of the four student workshops will be required to submit a 500-word extended abstract to Dr. Rachel Minto (mintor@cardiff.ac.uk) by Monday, 3 April for consideration by a scientific committee. Four papers will be selected, through a competitive process, with all candidates informed of the decision by Wednesday, 12th April. Full papers must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the Summer School (Tuesday, 27 June).

This Summer School is free for students to attend and all students will be provided with three nights’ accommodation at Cardiff University.

All students will receive a certificate of attendance.

Venue and partners

This Summer School is organised by Coppieters Foundation together with Wales Governance Center and is kindly hosted at Cardiff University, Wales.

The Summer School is chaired by Dr Rachel Minto from Cardiff University and Dr Carolyn Rowe from Aston University, on behalf of the organising committee: Dr Sandrina Antunes (CICP – Universidade do Minho, Portugal), Dr Noé Cornago (University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Spain), Dr Carolyn Rowe (Aston University, England, United Kingdom) and Dr Rachel Minto (Cardiff University, Wales, United Kingdom).

Download the Call for Participants here.

Press:

Media inquiries can be addressed to info@ideasforeurope.eu

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This event is financially supported by the European Parliament. The European Parliament is not liable for the content of the event nor the opinions of the speakers.

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This event is organised within the framework of the research project ‘Between Cooperation and Conflict: Explaining Strategies of Regional Paradiplomacy towards the EU in Regions Inside, Outside and In Transition (1992-2022).

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