| Abstract [eng] |
Academic literature reveals that the last decades have witnessed changes in diplomatic practices with new diplomatic practices replacing the old traditional norms. Organizations, celebrities, and leaders are joining the front lines and creating new diplomacy. While it is debated if it is not only relations between states through official representatives that can be considered diplomacy, the involvement of an actor such as the diaspora in the field of diplomacy changes its traditional conception. The diaspora can engage in multilateral discussions and use soft or hard power to help advance the interests of its state. The niche of the relationship between the Lithuanian diaspora and diplomacy is being filled in the literature. However, there are not many studies that show how today's Lithuanian diaspora in the US engages in the diplomatic process and the improvement of interstate relations, which is the problem of the paper. Diaspora diplomacy, in general, has been studied in the academic field for some time now and is often perceived as a tool of state public diplomacy. However, new research shows that the diaspora can also act independently in everyday diplomacy. Moreover, while diplomacy has traditionally been associated with the work of ambassadors and officials, today's diplomatic processes increasingly involve non-state actors, including the diaspora. Therefore, this thesis seeks to broaden the understanding of diplomacy, and the aim of this thesis is to explore how the diaspora in the US does everyday diplomacy today. The thesis argues that the everyday diplomatic activities of the Lithuanian diaspora help Lithuania to be noticed or even heard in the international arena. Since the Lithuanian diaspora in the US is heterogeneous and very diverse, to narrow the focus of the thesis, it will mainly explore the activities of Chicago Lithuanians. The Chicago Lithuanian community was chosen for two reasons: firstly, it is officially home to the largest number of Lithuanian citizens with the right to vote, and secondly, from a historical perspective, it has been home to the strongest and most active Lithuanian community, which has become the center of Lithuanian Americans. The study of the diplomatic activities of Lithuanians in Chicago revealed that the diaspora today is actively engaged in both soft and hard diplomacy with Americans. However, the diplomacy of the Lithuanian diaspora in the US today is special because it is carried out by a much larger number of different actors: first, second, and third-generation emigrants. The Lithuanian American community is a heterogeneous entity, but a combination of different waves of emigrants and organizations. The study confirms the defense that the everyday diplomatic activities of the Lithuanian American diaspora help Lithuania to be seen and heard in the international arena. Although the concept of diaspora diplomacy has not yet taken hold in Lithuanian academia, the way in which Lithuanians in America are working in different areas confirms that such diplomacy is working and is effective. Meanwhile, the duo of diaspora and everyday diplomacy shows that the traditional notion of diplomacy lacks novelty and does not always reflect today's realities, as diplomatic practices go beyond the activities of officials and into the everyday life of all citizens. The diplomacy of the Lithuanian diaspora in the US shows that a wide range of actors can and do engage in the field of diplomacy, while everyday diplomacy extends the boundaries of diplomatic practices. Both concepts are relatively new in the academic field, which makes it particularly worthwhile to expand the field of research, not only in terms of knowledge but also in terms of methodology. It is possible to focus on anthropological or ethnographic aspects, which would allow us to broaden our understanding of these concepts and, at the same time, open new avenues for research. |
