Foreigners everywhere: Identity and estrangement in diplomacy

As I wandered through the 2024 Biennale in Venice, captivated by the theme “Foreigners Everywhere,” I couldn’t help but reflect on the unique position of diplomats as quintessential foreigners in three profound ways: as foreigners in countries where they are posted, as strangers in their homelands, and, perhaps most intriguingly, as foreigners to themselves.

Foreigners in posting countries

The most apparent aspect of a diplomat’s foreignness is their role as outsiders in the country where they are posted. Their job description is to represent their home country’s interests while understanding and respecting the culture and norms of their hosts. As foreigners, they must constantly adapt to new environments, languages, and social customs.

George Simmel, in his essay ‘The Stranger,’ highlights the unique position of foreigners by being both near and remote in the societies in which they reside. Diplomats are the best example of this duality of being close enough to understand the society they live in but distant enough to maintain an objective perspective. This position allows them to see through the layers of social convention and challenge accepted truths, often becoming initiators of new interpretations of social reality.

Strangers in their homelands

Over time, as diplomats immerse themselves in foreign cultures, they often find themselves estranged from their own countries. The longer they serve abroad, the more they become detached from the societal changes and cultural shifts occurring back home. This phenomenon is not merely about physical distance but also about the psychological and emotional gap that widens with each passing year.

Returning home can be a disorienting experience for many diplomats. They may find themselves out of sync with the cultural zeitgeist, struggling to reconnect with a society that has evolved in their absence. This estrangement can lead to a sense of alienation as they grapple with the realisation that they are no longer fully at home in their homeland.

Foreigners to themselves

Perhaps the most profound aspect of a diplomat’s foreignness is the gradual estrangement from oneself. As Ivo Andrić, a Nobel laureate and former diplomat, observed, diplomats often live on two levels: the personal, which is human, and the official, often inhuman. This dual existence can lead to a disconnection from one’s identity as diplomats navigate the complexities of their roles without betraying their true selves.

This internal estrangement is compounded by the constant need to adapt and conform to different cultural norms and expectations. Over time, diplomats may question their beliefs and values as they are exposed to diverse perspectives and ideologies. This introspective journey can be enlightening and unsettling as they strive to reconcile their personal identity with their professional persona.

Often, this internal tension nurtured outstanding pieces of poetry and fiction, which, among others, resulted in having 8 diplomats among Nobel Prize laureats for literature.

The diplomat’s paradox

Ultimately, the paradox of estrangement transforms diplomats into boundary spanners and keen observers of human interaction, enabling them to look beyond accepted norms and foster new narratives.

However, this distinct role comes at a cost. As diplomats navigate between the positions of insider and outsider, they must confront a difficult question: In serving others, what part of themselves have they left behind?