If cities are now more connected than ever before on a global scale, local governments are not just spectators of this networked age. Cities are actively forging links across borders, taking part in setting the international agenda, and shifting the landscape of urban politics from local to increasingly global. City diplomacy is and must become a strategic activity for cities worldwide if they are to remain relevant in the new global order.
The Cities and International Engagement Survey is the only global survey of ‘city diplomacy’. The research seeks to understand how local governments conduct their international work with a focus on capacity, methods of engagement, themes and impacts. The survey has been conducted biannually since 2018 providing insights into how city diplomacy is changing over time.
The research is a partnership with The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Pejic, D., Acuto, M., and Kosovac, A. 2022. ‘City Diplomacy During COVID-19: The 2022 Cities and International Engagement Survey.’ Melbourne Centre for Cities; Chicago Council on Global Affairs.
Acuto, M. Kosovac, A. & Hartley, K. (2021). City Diplomacy: Another Generational Shift?, Diplomatica, vol.3, no.1, pp. 137-146.
Kosovac, A. Hartley. K, Acuto, M. & Gunning, D. (2021). City Leaders Go Abroad: A Survey of City Diplomacy in 47 Cities, Urban Policy and Research, vol.39, no.2, pp. 127-142.
Kosovac, A., Hartley, K., Gunning, D., & Acuto, M. (2020). Conducting city diplomacy: A survey of international engagement in 47 cities. Chicago Council on Global Affairs; Connected Cities Lab. https://www.thechicagocouncil.org/publication/conducting-city-diplomacy-survey-international-engagement-47-cities
Acuto, M., Decramer, H., Kerr, J., Klaus, I., Tabory, S., & Toly, N. J. (2018). Toward city diplomacy: Assessing capacity in select global cities. Chicago Council on Global Affairs; City Leadership Lab, University College London; Melbourne School of Design, University of Melbourne.
