Network Analysis in Digital Diplomacy: The Transformation of the US Embassy’s Communication Strategy in Russia from Barack Obama to Joseph Biden

As international communication methods transform, digital diplomacy is becoming a defining tool of influence. While previous research focused on content analysis of publications, today, understanding the corresponding strategies requires examining the network interactions of diplomatic missions. The authors argue that the communications strategy of the US Embassy in Russia is a prime example of this evolution and is directly influenced by presidential changes. Using network analysis, the authors demonstrate that US digital diplomacy has undergone significant changes: from active engagement with the media, universities, and opposition actors under Barack Obama to a phased-out focus on direct official contacts under Donald Trump, and further stagnation under Joe Biden, with a focus on supporting civic activists. The analysis is based on data from the X*2 social network for 2013, 2017, and 2021, collected using the Popsters service and visualized in Gephi. This article contributes to the study of digital diplomacy by demonstrating how network analysis reveals shifts in strategies and fundamental differences in the approaches of Republican and Democratic administrations to interacting with Russian society and the state. The findings demonstrate that network analysis can capture institutional and ideological shifts in digital diplomacy, revealing how changes in political strategies are reflected in the configuration and dynamics of communication networks.

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