The Evolution of Paradiplomacy in the Contemporary International Context

Paradiplomacy is considered a multifaceted phenomenon that was identified in the 1980s. Initially focused on the international activity of regional governments that contemplate nationalist movements such as Quebec, Flanders, Catalonia, and the Basque Country, the literature has gradually expanded to include new actors, such as cities and transnational networks, and non-Western geographic areas. The evolution of paradiplomacy in the contemporary international context has also introduced new research agendas that have become much more diverse in response to pressing challenges posed by global governance. Additionally, key foundational concepts have been reconsidered to include nuanced modes of interactions in intergovernmental relations (besides cooperation and conflict) and sub-forms of proto-diplomacy. In sum, given the evolution of paradiplomacy in the international context, this chapter offers a state-of-the-art understanding of paradiplomacy and provides a new toolkit for analyzing contemporary paradiplomatic practices focusing on emerging territorial actors, non-Western geographic areas, novel research agendas, and revisited key concepts.