The Hegemonic Paradox of Science Diplomacy and Its Contemporary Challenges: Lessons from the COVID Pandemic

The COVID pandemic underlined the importance of science diplomacy in combating global health inequality and in promoting transnational solidarity in coordinated response to the virus. Yet it also accentuated an epistemological struggle in global politics. This is to say, while the pandemic seems to have re-affirmed the efficiency and necessity of top-down socio-political enforcement of public health measures (e.g. mask wearing, vaccination and restriction of movement), it also made visible the social skepticism and resistance towards a hegemonic global technology of control. Recognising the post-colonial public sentiment towards technological support is important. Through a historical examination of how science for diplomacy is practiced and a contemporary analysis of China’s and the US’ vaccine diplomacy, this paper argues that, for science diplomacy to be effective in a post-colonial world, a corresponding paradigm shift of science diplomacy is needed. More specifically, this paper points out that to overcome the embedded ‘hegemonic paradox’ in traditional science diplomacy, one needs to shift from the conventional (or hegemonic) mindset of ‘prescribing solutions’. Instead, we need a de-colonial approach which builds on, rather than negates, the agency of local communities. Relatedly, this would underline the importance of going beyond state-led initiatives and bringing ‘Track II diplomacy’ from the background to the foreground.