University of Toronto doctoral student Vincent Pouliot is optimistic that diplomacy, not war, will lead to global peace.
Pouliot, above, is one of fourteen recipients of the prestigious Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation Fellowship, the largest scholarship in Canada for doctoral studies in the social sciences and humanities. He is the only winner from U of T. The scholarships provide $35,000 annually to recipients over a four-year period, as well as up to $15,000 per year to support research-related travel. Through these hefty awards, the Trudeau Foundation seeks to encourage emerging scholars and promote dialogue between academia and public policy.
Pouliot studied previously at the University of Montreal and the Institut d’Etudes de Politiques in Bordeaux, France, and is currently researching the Sociology of International Peace. He focuses on the social context necessary for nations to resolve disputes diplomatically, studying the relationship between North Atlantic nations and Russia, which has evolved from hostilities to a quasi-alliance. “My research addresses the question, ‘How is such a reversal of history possible?’ What different practices do [nations] perform now that they did not practice during the Cold War?”
Pouliot wants to challenge the popular perception that the increased power of one region always acts as an oppressive force on other nations. “It is an interesting paradox that power may be used for peace. [A powerful state] is able to force other states to believe that diplomacy is the only way to settle a dispute.” He cites recent disagreements between Russia, Western Europe, and North America as evidence that Western nations have directed Russian foreign policy toward non-violent resolutions.
According to Pouliot, the recent Orange Revolution in the Ukraine demonstrates social acceptance of diplomacy. “If Russia had not internalized diplomacy, it would have reacted more violently. [The crisis] shows how we are coming to settle our differences peacefully.”
During his undergraduate studies, Pouliot studied the models traditionally used in International Relations and found that they did not adequately address the social context that surrounds foreign policy. “In IR, they say that nations change their policies according to the balance of power. I do not believe that,” he said. He intends to use the travel allowance provided by the Trudeau fellowship to interview diplomats to support his theses.
Pouliot admits that the social conditions for diplomacy are not present in all situations. Russia continues to settle its internal disputes, such as the Chechen separatist movement through hostilities. In contrast, North Atlantic countries use diplomacy internally but continue to use violence against third party nations, as demonstrated by the ongoing hostilities in Iraq.
The relationship between Russia, Europe, and North America continues to interest Pouliot because of its potential to evolve further in the coming decades. “I wanted to study a case that remains unfinished. The growth of diplomacy in Russian foreign policy remains fragile and we do not know the end point.”
