ABSTRACT
Multilateral diplomacy is as old as the Westphalian order of independent territorial states. In the contemporary world, most multilateral diplomacy occurs in institutionalized settings such as the United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and the World Trade Organization. During the Cold War, multilateral diplomacy, often institutionalized in international organizations, became more the norm than the exception. This chapter focuses on important themes related to multilateral diplomacy in contemporary global politics. It first focuses on sovereignty. The chapter then discusses relations between state and nonstate actors in the international arena. It also concentrates on the role of the United States in global politics following the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Multilateral diplomacy coexists with traditional diplomacy, globalization with nationalism, and the pursuit of the national interests of individual states with a search for the means to serve the often-inchoate interests of the global community.
