International Studies Journal (ISJ)

International Studies Journal (ISJ)

The Process of City Diplomacy Formation in International Relations; Case Study: Tabriz Metropolis

Document Type : Original Article from Result of Thesis

Authors
Mohammad Khoshniyat 1
Javad Alipor 2
Mehran Samadi 3
Mohammad Abbaszadeh 4
1 Ph.D. Student in Communication Science, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.
2 Assistant Prof. at Department of Political Science, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.
3 Assistant Prof. at Department of Communication Science, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran.
4 Assistant Prof. at Department of Sociology, Faculty of Law and Social Science, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.
10.22034/isj.2024.409157.2047
Abstract
As one of the actors of the international system, cities, along with governments, international organizations, multinational corporations, etc., contribute to international interactions in today's globalized world. Metropolises, as the largest human groups, also play a major role in the development and exploitation of “urban diplomacy”. The objective of contemporary diplomacy extends beyond merely preventing conflicts and fostering peace among governments. The objectives and functions of diplomacy have transcended security and politics, extending into the economic, social, cultural, and media domains. Accordingly, the main question of this study was as follows: what is the procedure for urban diplomacy formation in international relations? In this qualitative study, 22 urban management experts and managers of Tabriz municipalities of Tabriz in 2022 were selected as the participants through snowball sampling; then the necessary data were obtained through interviews with the participants. This study aimed to address the procedure of urban diplomacy formation in international relations. The thematic analysis of the data obtained from the interviews revealed 284 primary codes, 45 classified codes, 17 sub-themes, and six main themes. These six main themes account for the main components of urban diplomacy, including culture, media, education, sports, tourism, and religion. The identified elements represent the core process of urban diplomacy formation as a framework, and their continuity and simultaneity foster the development of diplomatic relations between Tabriz and other cities around the world, particularly sister cities.
As one of the actors of the international system, cities, along with governments, international organizations, multinational corporations, etc., contribute to international interactions in today's globalized world. Metropolises, as the largest human groups, also play a major role in the development and exploitation of “urban diplomacy”. The objective of contemporary diplomacy extends beyond merely preventing conflicts and fostering peace among governments. The objectives and functions of diplomacy have transcended security and politics, extending into the economic, social, cultural, and media domains. Accordingly, the main question of this study was as follows: what is the procedure for urban diplomacy formation in international relations? In this qualitative study, 22 urban management experts and managers of Tabriz municipalities of Tabriz in 2022 were selected as the participants through snowball sampling; then the necessary data were obtained through interviews with the participants. This study aimed to address the procedure of urban diplomacy formation in international relations. The thematic analysis of the data obtained from the interviews revealed 284 primary codes, 45 classified codes, 17 sub-themes, and six main themes. These six main themes account for the main components of urban diplomacy, including culture, media, education, sports, tourism, and religion. The identified elements represent the core process of urban diplomacy formation as a framework, and their continuity and simultaneity foster the development of diplomatic relations between Tabriz and other cities around the world, particularly sister cities.

Highlights

Introduction

As one of the actors of the international system, cities, along with governments, international organizations, multinational corporations, etc., contribute to international interactions in today's globalized world. Larger and more powerful governments have a greater influence over and assume a more prominent role in official diplomacy. Metropolises, as the largest human groups, also play a major role in the development and exploitation of “urban diplomacy”. As a crucial component of public diplomacy in democratic and developed countries, urban diplomacy entails leveraging international relations for negotiations, interactions, development, and enhancement of relations between nations, transcending the challenges and dilemmas of relations between governments. Urban diplomacy serves as a mechanism for civil institutions and organizations to address the needs of citizens. The objective of contemporary diplomacy extends beyond merely preventing conflicts and fostering peace among governments. The objectives and functions of diplomacy have transcended security and politics, extending into the economic, social, cultural, and media domains. The concept of urban diplomacy has originated from the notion that the inhabitants of urban areas can engage in a variety of cultural, social, and economic interactions with one another, regardless of the political and security disputes between their governments. Many mechanisms of urban cooperation, including sister-city relationships and networks of cooperative cities, aim to foster a sense of community among nations and introduce their cultures and civilizations. Sister-city relationships serve as a potent economic catalyst, significantly influencing cultural and sports development while enhancing economic relations between the nations. Furthermore, in line with humanitarian objectives (sustainable development), it offers a platform for numerous international interactions and actively disseminates the message of peace globally. For countries such as Iran that are characterized by ethnic and religious diversity, the significance of sister-city relationships as a bilateral aspect of the city is a significant factor in their ability to establish such relationships. Sister city relationships necessitate interaction on two national levels, aligned with macro-national and transnational policies alongside other political and spatial entities. Consequently, urban diplomacy, in combination with state diplomacy, through transnational relations and sister city relationships, can advance both national and urban interests and contribute to the development of sister cities., As the world's largest human settlements, metropolises greatly contribute to the development and utilization of urban diplomacy. Tabriz, recognized as a major metropolis in Iran and the largest population center in the northwest of this country, has consistently played a vital role in regional and extra-regional communications and cooperation, owing to its strategic geographical location as a regional hub and a significant transit axis. The city of Tabriz, with its extensive historical significance, can potentially be an influential actor in the international sphere, as it ranks as the third largest city in Iran by population and has been the capital of this country during several critical periods in the past. Therefore, this study aims to address the formation of urban diplomacy in international relations.

 

Methodology

This was a qualitative study that employed semi-structured interviews to collect data from the participants selected through snowball sampling. The study population consisted of urban management experts, urban diplomacy specialists, and municipal managers and officials of Tabriz in 2022. Face-to-face interviews were performed at the office or workplace of participants. Participants were selected using the purposive sampling method. To this end, some experts were identified and interviewed, and then more participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling methods. This process continued until theoretical saturation was achieved after 22 interviews. After the examination of primary and secondary themes along with their corresponding codes, six principal characteristics of urban diplomacy formation were identified in the following fields: cultural, media, scientific-educational, sports, tourism, and religious. To increase the validity of the findings, different parts of the interviews, including the introduction, engagement in discussion, and progression of questions, were structured and guided in a way to avoid unrelated data. The interviews were conducted at the office or workplace of the participants. Most of the interview time was allocated to elucidating the concept, dimensions, and process of developing the attributes of urban diplomacy in international relations. Test-retest reliability was employed to assess the consistency and reliability of the findings. Two members of the research team also conducted re-coding, yielding a 91% agreement rate.

 

Findings and discussion

The thematic analysis of the data obtained from the interviews revealed 284 primary codes, 45 classified codes, 17 sub-themes, and six main themes. These six main themes account for the main components of urban diplomacy: 1- culture (organizing cultural weeks, exchange of cultural information, promotion of distinctive urban cultural features, and international cultural activities); 2- media (use of media tools and electronic technology, joint and trans-regional media measures); 3- education (exchange of information and efficient workforce, organizing joint educational and scientific courses, and joint scientific activities); 4- sports (organizing joint sports activities, adopting sports relations development policies); 5- tourism (targeted tourism management, focus on the economic potential of the tourism sector, facilities for tourists, and improvement of tourism services; and 6- religion (focus on religious similarities of sister cities and promotion of concepts using religious characteristics). The indices of each of these themes were regarded as the elements of urban diplomacy in Tabriz.

 

Conclusion

The identified elements represent the core process of urban diplomacy formation as a framework, and their continuity and simultaneity foster the development of diplomatic relations between Tabriz and other cities around the world, particularly sister cities. The establishment of bilateral and multilateral communication with various cities worldwide enables the dissemination of culture, art, history, and science through the tourism and sports sectors; however, this is contingent upon the media industry functioning effectively through the exchange and transmission of pertinent information. As a result, cultural, scientific, and religious diplomacy is facilitated through tourism and sports diplomacy, all mediated by technological advancements in media diplomacy. Nevertheless, urban planning and development initiatives have inadequately addressed the strategies for leveraging these opportunities and enhancing urban diplomacy.

Keywords
Urban diplomacy
Sister cities
Tabriz metropolis
Globalization

Subjects

  1. Avaunt, C. (2023). Sisterhood in the City: Creating Community through Lion Dance. Dance research Journal, 54(3): 91-106. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0149767722000328
  2. Azmand, A. (2023). Measuring the capacity of Yasuj city in city Diplomacy.A. Thesis in Shahid Beheshti University, Earth Science Faculty (In Persian)
  3. BaranCheshmeh, M.A., Safania, A.M., Baqerian farahAbadi, M., & Naqshbandi, S. (2020). Codifying the framework for sport diplomacy development among army forces of Islamic Republic of Iran. The Journal of Research in Sport management and movement behaviors, 10 (20 con 36), 174-202 doi:10.29252/JRSM.10.20.174 (In Persian)
  4. Bashir, H. (2016). The Discourse Diplomacy (The Interactions of politics, Cultures and Communications). Tehran: The publications of Imam Sadeq University. (In Persian)
  5. Basirat, M., & Jalili, S.M. (2015). The Analysis of Chances and Challenges in City Diplomacy Development in Tehran Metropolis. The Journal of Fine Arts, Architecture and Urban Planning, 19(3), doi: 10.22059/jfaup.2014.55404 (In Persian)
  6. Benoot, Ch., Hannes, K., & Bilsen, J. (2016). The use of purposeful sampling in a qualitative evidence synthesis: A worked example on sexual adjustment to a cancer trajectory. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 16(1), 21. doi:10.1186/s12874-016-0114-6
  7. Bolukat, M.R., Sharifi, S.M., Afkaneh, M. (2020). The Recognition of Creative Industries Managers (Case Study: Iranian News Agancies). The Journal of Public Administration of Iran, 3(2), 109-130. doi: 22034/jipas.2020.254882.1121 (In Persian)
  8. Daroudi, M., & Piemani, N. (2013). Assessing Urban Diplomacy Approach on Foreign Investors in Tehran Using Network Analysis Process - SWOT Analysis. Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research, 15 (5): 715-722. DOI: 10.5829/idosi.mejsr.2013.15.5.1021
  9. Desille, A. & Lacroix, Th. (2024). City diplomacy of ordinary cities: Harnessing migrant inclusion policies for international engagement in Amadora, Portugal. Governance Willey, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1111/gove.12864
  10. Ersavaş Kavanoz, S. & Erdem, N. (n.d.). City Diplomacy in Fighting Wicked Problems: Izmir Metropolitan Municipality. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Işletme Fakültesi Dergisi. https://doi.org/10.24889/ifede.1363154
  11. Ersavaş Kavanoz, S., Erdem, N. & Yildiz, H.S. (2024). Content Analysis of City Diplomacy Activities. Societal Impacts, June 2024, 100061, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100061
  12. Islamic Republic Press. (2022). The sicentific institutional corporation of Tabriz University with Turkish Qazi University. Available in: https://www.irna.ir/news/84781453 (In Persian)
  13. Jackson, R. & Sorensen, G. (2006). An introduction to international relations. Translated by: Zakerian, M., Taqizadeh, A., & Kolahi, S. Second Edition, Mizan Publication (In Persian)
  14. JamaliNejad, M. (2013). City Diplomacy. Isfahan: Arma Publications, Second Edition (In Persian)
  15. Khosravi, A., Ahmadi, H., & Zakerian, M. (2022). Providing a Combination Model for Effective Elements in Successful City Diplomacy in Isfahan city. The Scientific- Research Journal of Geography and Regional Planning, 12(4), 1167-1186. https://ensani.ir/file/download/article/1666501049-10518-48-63.pdf (In Persian)
  16. Khosravi, A., Ahmadi, H., & Zakerian, M. & MousaviZadeh, A.R. (2019). City diplomacy synergistics with public diplomacy in cultural and economical interactions domain. The Scientific Journal of Sociological Politics of Islamic World, 7(2), 189-241. https://doi.org/10.22070/iws.2019.4374.1777 (In Persian)
  17. Osku, V., Shojaei, M., MohammadTabar SarHamami, Z. (2015). The effectiveness of Exercise in Foreign Investment. The first national conference of latest athletic sciences, Professional Exercise and Health Improvement, 2-16. https://sid.ir/paper/886195/fa (In Persian)
  18. Qahremani, A.H. (2023). Investigation the role of Tehran metropolis on city diplomacy. The 4th National Conference of urbanization and Arcitechture of Danesh Bonyan, Retrived in: https://civilica.com/doc/1798081(In Persian)
  19. Qurchi, M. (2016). The Writings toward Globalization, Global Cities and Their Transitional Roles. Tehran: The Publications of Studies and Planning Center in Tehran Municipality (In Persian)
  20. Saeid, P., HafezNia, M.R., Qurchi, M. (2022). The Role of City Diplomacy in Cities International Relations (Case Study: The System of Tehran City Management). The Journal of sustainable Geographical Environment Development, 4(6), 1-15. doi:10.52547/sdge.4.6.16 (In Persian)
  21. Salimi, H. (2005). The Various Theories of Globalization. Tehran: Samt Publications. (In Persian).
  22. Soleimani Sadiq, P. (2014). The Role of City Diplomacy on the Creation of Interaction in Tourism Industry and Tourist Attraction through the SWOT model with Emphasis on the historical- cultural environmental powers of Tourism (Case study: Tabriz city). The first professional scientific conference of attractions and Deterrents, 1-31. https://civilica.com/doc/523265 (In Persian)
  23. Taylor, P.M. (1997). Global Communication, International Affairs and the Media since 1945. Pub Routledge, Publication, 83.
  24. Waters, M. (2001). The Globalization. Translated by Ismaeil Mardani Givi & Siavash Moridi, Tehran: The Organization of Industrial Managements. (In Persian)
  25. World Travel & Tourism Council. (2018). Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2018 World, March 2018, 1-20, Available at: https://tendenciasturismo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/wttc-global-economic-impact-and-issues-2018-eng.pdf
  26. Zarif, M.J., SajadPour, M.K. (2014). The Multilateral City Diplomacy. Tehran: The International Education and Research Center of Foreign Affairs Ministry. (In Persian)