This week’s dissertation diary comes from Danny Cronin! Danny graduated from Homerton College last year after writing a dissertation about diplomats in India.
1. What is your dissertation about?
My dissertation provides a ‘behind the scenes’ insight into the working lives of Western diplomats in New Delhi. It reveals the types of knowledge that diplomats require, and the subtle practices that constitute the art of negotiation. The dissertation’s title – ‘A very diplomatic space’ – refers to Chanakyapuri, the enclave in which New Delhi’s embassies lie. The dissertation focuses on the practices that diplomats adopt to be successful in this specific area, as it centrally argues that diplomacy varies according to where it takes place. It adds a bit of nuance to this idea by showing that diplomatic practice is ‘space-making’. It is space-making because it brings with it a set of norms (that can come define a place like Chanakyapuri) and because individual acts by diplomats can alter the atmosphere of the space around them. Therefore, diplomacy can be distinguished from other forms of social action by its spatiality; the way it shapes the very spatial relations it is shaped by.
2. Why is this important?
I think my dissertation can show diplomats the importance of close attention to the characteristics of the spaces they are operating in. If a diplomat were to read it, they might question why they choose to meet their contacts in the café rather than in the board room. Perhaps they would ask “what atmosphere am I trying to create?”.
The dissertation shows what the geography discipline can offer to analyses of diplomacy. I think geographers are uniquely placed to step into any given environment and notice not only the features of the actors they are studying, but also the features of the surrounding space (and to understand why noticing the latter matters!).
3. How did you find conducting your research?
Conducting research on diplomats presented a real challenge as they are such hard to reach people. I ended up reflecting my experience networking with diplomats for the insights it gave me into how they themselves form connections. For students currently conducting remote research I’d encourage you to think ‘what can my experience collecting data tell me about my participants’. If they were hard to reach digitally, why might this be? People often think of data collection as something that starts after they’ve got access to participants, but in reality the process of gaining access can reveal a lot in itself.
4. What would be your advice to current second years planning their dissertation?
I’d say pick a topic that you’re going to want to talk about for a long time. I found the best way to brainstorm was by talking aloud to others about my ideas.
Don’t fret about how others are going about their dissertations. Each one is different! Some dissertations will rely heavily on data, some more on the literature. No form of data collection is ‘lesser’ than any other. As long as the methods you choose suit the type of questions you’re asking, your dissertation will be great.
Image credits: Danny Cronin
DISCLAIMER: THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR ONLY AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE VIEWS OR OPINIONS OF COMPASS MAGAZINE AS A WHOLE OR THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY