DAFF 25A63 - The making of a diplomat
DAFF 25A63 · Spring semester 2025-2026
- Language of tuition
- English
- Course type
- Cours séminaire
- Number of hours
- 24
- Credits
- 5
Information
Description
This course is designed to explore what it takes to be a successful diplomat. The course works under the premise that many "qualified" leaders too often disqualify themselves by lacking the basic communication, presentation, leadership, empathy, listening skills amongst many others.
This "workshop-style" seminar intends to be an eye-opener on the most essential soft skills that are needed to make it in the world of politics. Toward that end, this course includes the teaching of advanced techniques for delivering great speeches as well as successfully taking charge and winning complex communication settings like negotiation, mediation, interviews, or debates.
Media training, body language, emotional intelligence as well as negotiation strategies will be the common thread underlying all lectures during which each student will perfect the art of public speaking and negotiating.
While this course intends to develop these skills in a political and diplomatic setting, all techniques described and taught will be applicable to any communication setting regardless of the occupation and background of the communicator.
All skills reviewed in this course will be presented from a theoretical point of view and taken into consideration with different layers of analysis: social, cultural, educational, religious, or generational background to name a few.
In addition, the course offers a specific lecture designed for future women diplomats and political leaders to discuss the different pressures placed on them in a political communication setting and to raise awareness among male students.
Prerequisites
None
Assessment
A comprehensive oral examination (mock debate) will take place during the last weeks of classes, it will account for 40% of the final grade. The lessons will be punctuated with a written midterm examination that will account for 40% of the final grade. An evaluation of the students' participation during the course will account for the remaining 20%.
Readings
Main readings 2
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Edwards, A., Edwards, C., Wahl, S. T., & Myers, S. A. (2017) The Communication Age. SAGE Publications, Inc.
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Westen, D. (2008) The Political Brain. Ed. Public Affairs
Further readings 24
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Allen, D. (2002). Getting things done: The art of stress-free productivity. Ed. Penguin.
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Almonte, R. (2022). A Practical Guide to Soft Skills. Ed. Routledge
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Bartsch, R. A., & Cobern, K. M. (2003). Effectiveness of PowerPoint presentations in lectures. Computers & Education, 41, 77–86.
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BBC (2014) Employers prefer 'soft' skills in graduates, study says. Published on July 14th, 2014. http://www.bbc.com/news/education-28560758 Retrieved on January 22nd, 2015.
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Darwin, C. (1897). The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals (1st ed.). New York, NY: D. Appleton & Company.
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Duhigg, C. (2014) The power of habit: Why we do, what we do, and how to change. Ed. Random House Trade Paperbacks.
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Engleberg, I.N and Wynn D.R. (2012) Working in groups. Ed. Pearson.
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Godin, S. (2010) Linchpin. Are you indispensable? Penguin Group Inc.
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Hall, E. T. (1989). Beyond Culture. New York, NY: Anchor Books.
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Hart, P. (1991). Irving L. Janis' Victims of Groupthink. Political Psychology, 12(2), 247.
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Hess, U., & Thibault, P. (2009). Darwin and emotion expression. American Psychologist, 64(2), 120-128.
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Hofstede, G. (2010) Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind (3rd edition). New York: McGraw-Hill.
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Janis, I. (1982) Groupthink. New York: Houghton Mifflin.
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Kang, K. (2013) BrandingPays: The five-step system to reinvent your personal brand. Ed. BrandingPays Media.
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Lax, D., and Sebenius, J. (2006) 3-D Negotiation: Powerful Tools to Change the Game in Your Most Important Deals. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
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Lustig, M. W., & Koester, J. (2017). Intercultural competence: Interpersonal communication across cultures (8th ed.). NY, NY: Pearson.
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Nierenberg, G. (1978) The Art of Negotiating. Chicago: Nightingale-Conant Corp
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Patton, B., Ury, W., and Fisher, R. (2014) Getting to yes. New York: Penguin Books.
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Robertson, A. (2015) Media and Politics in a Globalizing World. Cambridge: Polity Press.
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Sapir, E. (1921) Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech. New York: Harcourt, Brace.
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Shapiro, D. (2016) Negotiating the Nonnegotiable: How to Resolve Your Most Emotionally Charged Conflicts. New York: Penguin Books.
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Slim, P. (2013) Body of work: Finding the thread that ties your story together. Ed. Portfolio.
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Starkey, B., Boyer, M., and Wilkenfeld, J. (2015) International Negotiation in a Complex World (4th edition). Rowman & Littlefield.
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Susskind, L., and Crump, L. (2008) Multiparty negotiations: Organizational and International negotiation. London: SAGE.
Teaching units
| Unit no. | Unit type | Teaching units | Teachers | Number of hours | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59208 | Cours séminaire | The making of a diplomat | Jean STUDZINSKA | 24 | 5 |
Teachers
- Jean STUDZINSKA
In the curricula
- Bachelor, Programme d'échange, semestre 4, seminaires - 25/26COLLÈGE UNIVERSITAIRE - CAMPUS PARIS
- Bachelor, semestre 4, 25/26 : cours séminairesCOLLÈGE UNIVERSITAIRE - CAMPUS PARIS
Contacts and resources
- Contact
- NICOULEAU Svetlana