Refocusing the Boundary Spanner: Individuals, Their Activities and the Development of Relations between Conflict Parties

Abstract There is an increasing consideration of the role individuals – other than state leaders – can play in diplomacy and negotiations across various contexts. This article argues that the concept of the boundary spanner can be refocused beyond its current narrow use to consider the activities that individuals engage in when operating between conflict parties. At their core, boundary spanners are actors who operate along the boundary between units or a unit and its external environment and engage in four activities: relational, connectional, informational and entrepreneurial. I argue that refocusing on the core elements of the boundary spanner concept allows for considering the role individuals can play in shaping dialogue and diplomatic relations between conflict parties. Using a range of English-language discursive materials and interviews, I apply this concept to a single case study of Dr. Yair Hirschfeld’s activities in 1989–1993, which were crucial for establishing the Oslo Channel between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization.