Care and Community in Euro-Atlantic Diplomacy: A Discourse Analysis

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Traditional International Relations (IR) theories emphasise power politics, often overlooking human-centric socio-political factors like care and community. In contrast, recent approaches in other social sciences have compensated by overemphasising empathy, neglecting the complex security concerns critical to navigating modern geopolitical environments. This creates both a contextual gap—where IR models inadequately address human factors—and a disciplinary gap between IR and emotion-driven frameworks in social sciences, which blunt the strategic clarity essential for effective diplomacy. This research explores leadership psychobiography and geopolitical pragmatism through a foreign policy analysis framework. The study examines the public diplomacy discourse of female Euro-Atlantic leaders during the Russia-Ukraine War. Their leadership—marked by rational compassion and democratic values—deviates from conventional models. The scope and unity of this female cohort, shaped by their shared temporal and geographic context, present a unique contribution and address an existing gap in the literature. These leaders, opposing Russia's aggression, integrate dignity, solidarity, and resilience into their public diplomacy, challenging traditional paradigms. By blending compassion with strategic calculation, they transcend political alignment and advocate for a perspective that recognizes both the human and community aspects of geopolitical conflicts. This study demonstrates the value of incorporating gendered leadership perspectives in diplomacy, where care and community complement traditional strategic considerations in complex geopolitical situations. It paves the way for further exploration of female-led diplomacy and a gendered understanding of foreign policy, advocating for leadership models that stress both strength and humanity. Keywords: Female Leadership, Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, Trait Analysis, Discourse Analysis