From Tweets to Treaties: Digital and Cyber Diplomacy

Course Number: 84-349

From embassy tweets to cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, technology is reshaping how countries engage with one another—and what is at stake in international relations. How do governments use social media to influence audiences abroad? Can diplomats counter disinformation in an increasingly contested information environment? And who gets to set the rules when cyberattacks threaten global security? This course explores these questions through two fast-evolving areas: digital diplomacy and cyber diplomacy. We examine how governments use social media, data, and digital tools to communicate with foreign publics, shape international opinion, and transform the work of foreign ministries. We then turn to the negotiations over the rules of cyberspace: how countries define and respond to cyberattacks, protect critical infrastructure, and seek to prevent digital conflict from escalating. Along the way, we compare how different countries approach these challenges and follow debates in international forums, including the United Nations. We also look beyond governments to explore how technology companies are influencing global rules, building coalitions, and proposing new international agreements—including Microsoft's call for a Digital Geneva Convention. Besides class lectures, students will learn from the people shaping these debates. Guest speakers, including former cyber ambassadors, will offer insights into the realities of diplomatic practice and the challenges of negotiating in an increasingly connected world. By the end of the course, students will be able to analyze emerging challenges at the intersection of technology, international relations, and global security—and understand how diplomacy can help shape a safer, more cooperative digital future.

Academic Year: 2026-2027
Semester(s): Spring
Units: 9
Location(s): Pittsburgh