Who Sets the Agenda? Diplomatic Experience and Small Power Influence in the United Nations
2026-07-31
abstract: Why are some small powers effective in setting the UN agenda, even in the face of large power opposition? The author argues that small states are more likely to be represented by experienced diplomats, who, over time, accumulate influence that can be deployed to shape the international organization’s agenda. To test these claims, the author assembled a data set of proposed agenda items and the tenure of all states’ ambassadors from 1946 to 2018 and conducted interviews with diplomats from forty-nine states. The author finds that smaller powers have more diplomatic experience than larger powers; that individuals with more diplomatic experience are more successful at agenda setting even when accounting for material power; and that random shocks to ambassadorial tenure, such as the death of an ambassador, have negative effects on diplomatic experience and effectiveness. These insights contribute to understanding the role of individuals and diplomacy in international relations and the ways in which small powers influence international politics.