What is Science Diplomacy?

Science diplomacy is a hybrid field, shaped as much by the practices of those involved as by the theoretical work carried out by researchers in the humanities and social sciences. This hybridity also concerns the players in this field, who can be simultaneously or successively scientists involved in diplomacy, diplomats who contribute to the conceptualization of the field through their feedback and reflection, and researchers in the humanities and social sciences who adopt these new practices as their “field”.

The University of Ottawa and the French Embassy in Canada have recognized the importance of this field by creating a chair that will be occupied for the next two years by Pascal Griset and Patrick Fafard. They will both be researchers, striving to advance interdisciplinary thinking on health policies in their international and diplomatic dimensions, and, in a way, “science diplomats” fostering the development of fertile scientific relations between Canada and France. Their work will be carried out in close collaboration with Alexandra Gheciu, Director of CIPS.

Professor Pascal Griset, a distinguished historian with a keen interest in the history of technology and telecommunications, is a leading authority on science diplomacy. His research spans Europe and he is co-director of the International School of Science Diplomacy. Griset’s interdisciplinary approach has led to fruitful collaborations with experts in various fields, enriching the study of science diplomacy.

Addressing modern challenges

The researchers will delve into two compelling case studies to gain insight into the practice of science diplomacy.

First, they will explore how international scientific collaboration can transcend geopolitical boundaries and strengthen national and global security. In an era of heightened conflict and disruption within the established international order, the researchers will examine the feasibility of reconciling the universal ideals of science with the necessary requirements of national security.

Second, they will focus on the urgent global challenge of antimicrobial resistance. The overuse of antimicrobials in health care, agriculture and the environment has led to the development of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens, rendering many of our existing therapies ineffective. Annual deaths from resistant infections are increasing, as are the economic and societal consequences of drug resistance.

The research of Professor Fafard and others highlights the indispensable role of scientific collaboration in addressing this crisis, and underscores the need for a unified global response that draws on expertise from multiple scientific disciplines.

Both case studies underscore the broader contemporary dilemmas in which the universal aspirations of science intersect with the imperatives of national interests, highlighting the delicate balance between global cooperation and individual nation-state priorities.

2024-2025 Summary

Over the course of the 2024-2025 academic year, the partnership between the University of Ottawa and the French Embassy in Canada was extremely fruitful, as the Research Chair in Scientific Diplomacy produced a wealth of events, literature, and recommendations. The research network, cognizant of many of the global issues across the world right now affected the pursuit of research and its political implications, concentrated on several lines of study. First, increasing academic interchanges between social science researchers and applied scientists to provoke multidisciplinary analyses of the theme of Scientific Diplomacy. Second, launching research projects specifically examining diplomatic efforts related to health, while combining the expertise of diplomats and scientists to examine international governance structures combating the concerning rise of antibiotic resistance. Third, increasing Canadian association with European research grant networks including funding giant Horizon Europe, in light of a pivot away from American-directed research under the Trump administration, and Canada’s accession in 2024 into Horizon Europe allowing expanded Canadian participation and influence over Horizon Europe’s scientific operations. Finally, the Research Chair engaged partners and stakeholders to build a more permanent network of cooperation between researchers, scientists, and diplomats analyzing the growing influence of Scientific Diplomacy, suggesting enhanced cooperation and future research over AI governance as possible topics the research network could pursue in future, as it becomes more formalized and official.