“This Handbook is timely and makes an important contribution to current debates and deliberations in a rapidly changing world to realise the hope and opportunity that science brings to ensure a sustainable future for many generations to come.” Quarraisha Abdool Karim, President, World Academy of Sciences
“This volume of conceptual and illustrative essays should be of value to both scholars and practitioners of the evolving discipline of science diplomacy.”
Sir Peter Gluckman, President, International Science Council
“There has never been a more important time to advance science diplomacy. This authoritative volume offers a critical reframe for our times and will provide a vital handbook for the disrupted years ahead.” Dame Juliet A. Gerrard, Professor, University of Auckland/former Chief Science Advisor to Prime Minister of New Zealand
“This handbook is an indispensable guide for all those who want to understand the diplomacy of the future.” Jean-Marie Guehenno, former UN Under-Secretary-General and Arnold A. Saltzman Professor of Political Practice at Columbia University
This open access handbook redefines science diplomacy in an era of geopolitical rivalry, rapid technological change, and fragmented global governance. Moving beyond state-centric models, it advances a polycentric framework where authority and expertise are distributed across diverse actors. Combining conceptual insights with empirical case studies, it examines securitization, emerging diplomatic players, and technology as a site of power—offering a rigorous guide for navigating cooperation under conditions of uncertainty, asymmetry, and disruption.
Jan Lüdert is Head of Programs at the German Center for Research and Innovation New York, with over 20 years of experience in international relations, higher education, and knowledge management, focusing on science diplomacy and transatlantic partnerships.
Martin Wählisch is Associate Professor for Transformative Technologies,Innovation, and Global Affairs at the University of Birmingham, with a joint appointment in Government and Computer Science. He previously served over a decade at the United Nations, including as Lead for Innovation at the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs.
This open access handbook redefines science diplomacy in an era of geopolitical rivalry, rapid technological change, and fragmented global governance. Moving beyond state-centric models, it advances a polycentric framework where authority and expertise are distributed across diverse actors. Combining conceptual insights with empirical case studies, it examines securitization, emerging diplomatic players, and technology as a site of power—offering a rigorous guide for navigating cooperation under conditions of uncertainty, asymmetry, and disruption.
Jan Lüdert
Open Access Science diplomacy in the age of disruption Artificial intelligence and international relations Global governance and emerging technologies Quantum computing and global power shifts Biotechnology and international cooperation AI diplomacy and technology governance Science policy and global security challenges Technology sovereignty and international diplomacy Future of multilateralism in a digital world Global South perspectives on science diplomacy Ethics of AI and international diplomacy Space diplomacy and global technology governance Climate diplomacy and digital transformation Private sector influence in science diplomacy