公共外交的国际关系理论价值

The Theoretical Value of Public Diplomacy in International Relations

本文拟初步探讨一个学术界较少触及的问题,即公共外交研究对于国际关系学科的理论价值。一般来说,公共外交被认为是一种外交实践。而国际关系在研究和教学中主要使用国际政治理论的解释框架,其中的代表就是现实主义、自由主义、建构主义“三大理论流派”。但无论是公共外交的实践,还是国际关系现实的发展,都越来越无法用经典国际政治理论充分解释。20世纪以后,国际关系理论创新逐渐衰弱,国际关系中的重大议题,尤其是非国家行为体深度卷入的、超越于传统国际安全和经贸问题之外的新议题,呼唤新的理论解释。公共外交的研究天然关注非国家行为体和跨国政治行为,对国际关系的理论发展有启发性意义。

This paper intends to initially discuss an issue that is rarely touched by the academic circle,that is,the theoretical value of studying public diplomacy to the discipline of international relations.Generally speaking,public diplomacy is considered a kind of diplomatic practice.In the study and teaching of international relations,the interpretive framework of international political theories is mainly used,which is represented by the“three theoretical schools”of realism,liberalism and constructivism.However,both the practice of public diplomacy and the development of the reality of international relations are increasingly unable to be fully explained by classical international political theories.Since the end of the 20th century,the theoretical innovation in international relations has gradually declined,and major issues in international relations,particularly new issues beyond traditional international security,economic and trade issues that non-state actors are deeply involved in,call for new theoretical explanations.The study of public diplomacy naturally focuses on non-state actors and transnational political behaviors,which is enlightening for the development of international relation theories.