Mapping the Great Beyond: Identifying Meaningful Networks in

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MAPPING THE GREAT BEYOND 7 of action is a focus on behavior. The importance of recognizing this focus on behavior is not least because hierarchy is a form of network structure. It is not a question of drawing false distinctions between hierarchies and networks, but rather the need to focus on the behavior and power relationships which exist in the different forms of network. Figure 1 shows the same network arranged using three different algorithms. None of the relationships is altered by the different arrangements, just the way we visualize them and the assumptions we make as a result. This may be easier to argue at a conceptual level than for the individual on the ground to do while operating within existing reporting mechanisms, bureaucratic structures or organizational cultures. Indeed, the degree to which a Public Diplomacy organization itself is a hierarchy may well limit the ability of one of its representatives to become immersed in an external network of activists. While it is necessary to be clear that hierarchy is a form of network, the emphasis on shifting approaches of communication to acknowledge other network forms alongside the more traditionally applied hierarchy creates important considerations for Public Diplomacy. An individual or organization’s position in a network creates a perspective through which relationships with other network members have to be viewed. Hierarchies create the classic look up or look down perspectives; other forms of network create the potential to look in many directions. The variety of network arrangements provides the potential for numerous positions, perspectives and understandings of importance and power. In some hierarchies, everyone may be looking to a particular actor, creating a centralized or star network), and in others relationships may take on a cyclical form of communication or the image of hub and spoke, among the wide variety of options. These network forms are shown in Figure 2.
8 MAPPING THE GREAT BEYOND Figure 2. Types of networks Each form requires a different behavior which is influenced by the perspective of the network viewed by each member. Understanding the perspectives resulting from myriad positions in the variety of networks will influence the way an organization interacts with different communities, and will influence the odds of achieving success in Public Diplomacy. It is neither the existence of new technology alone nor solely the understanding of networks which has the potential to empower Public Diplomacy operations; it is how effectively they are combined to empower those “on the ground,” whether physically or metaphorically. The potential power of this combination was shown during the 1999 protests that took place during the WTO Ministerial Conference held in Seattle. The notorious and violent encounters between protesters and police became known as “N30” or the “Battle in Seattle,” and are depicted in a movie of the same name directed by Stewart Townsend. 5 Despite the use of tear gas and pepper spray, followed later by concussion grenades and rubber bullets, the protestors managed to defy the police and block streets, thereby limiting access to the WTO conference for three days. A
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