Overview

This book examines whataboutism arguments within the United Nations Security Council, with a focus on the case of Russia’s rhetoric in the Council. In doing so, it highlights their dualistic effects of facilitating or undermining international diplomatic efforts, and explores the strategic use of whataboutery during heated debates and their implications for international relations and global peacekeeping efforts. With this, the book builds a grounded theory and interprets it using both computational capacities (natural language processing and AI) and diplomatic insights (interviews with the UN diplomats and experts). The combination of methods provides readers an in-depth analysis of diplomatic discourse and the operational dynamics within the UNSC. These methods help to uncover the structured and often hidden patterns of argumentation that diplomats use to influence international norms and defend national interests. The book also presents a novel theoretical concept, factworld, which refers to the diplomats’ renditions of reality shaping international perceptions. The concepts explored in the book will be interesting to those who find it captivating to see the political rhetoric in action, trace world politics, and explore the intricacies of multilateral diplomacy. Special features of the book includes detailed tables summarizing observations from analyses of UNSC speeches and interviews with UN diplomats, as well as innovative visual representations of rhetorical strategies. These elements will not only enhance the readability of complex diplomatic interactions but also serve as a didactic tool to clarify the practical implications of theoretical constructs.

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9789819504121

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Dr Dmitry Zavialov is a Learning Designer at Skills Group. He obtained his PhD degree from University of Otago in 2024, and holds a degree of Specialist (MA equivalent) in International Relations from Lomonosov Moscow State University (2010) and an MA in Human Rights and Multi-level Governance from the University of Padua (2018). His research interest lies in the area of rhetoric in international politics.

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