This article investigates how diplomatic networks move into a new digital media platform, namely Twitter, through the analytical lenses of networked diplomacy studies and mediatization. We employ the studies in the former field to argue for the need to study the entire network to evaluate diplomatic relations, rather than relying on bilateral relations alone. Mediatization is then introduced to argue that moving to a digital platform (i.e., digitization) is a process in which countries might end up enjoying different levels of technology adoption. We first use social network analysis to compare the sizes and structures of brick and mortar embassy networks and Twitter following–follower relationship networks among ministries and ministers of foreign affairs of 130 countries. We then present a theoretical explanation of digitization of diplomatic networks. Our findings suggest that the majority of countries still have a larger diplomatic presence offline compared to their Twitter network. However, the structures of offline and online networks are similar, showing that countries have diplomatic relations (whether brick and mortar embassies or Twitter links) with the same groups of countries. We conclude by presenting the variance of the digitization process among countries.

中文翻译：

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从使馆关系到Twitter链接：比较离线和在线外交网络

本文通过网络化外交研究和中介化的分析视角，研究外交网络如何进入新的数字媒体平台，即Twitter。我们利用前一个领域的研究来论证，有必要研究整个网络以评估外交关系，而不是仅仅依靠双边关系。然后，引入中介化来论证说，迁移到数字平台（即数字化）是一个过程，在这个过程中，各国最终可能会享受不同程度的技术采用。我们首先使用社交网络分析来比较实体大使馆网络和Twitter追随者之间的关系和规模，以及130个国家的外交部长之间的追随者关系网络。然后，我们提出外交网络数字化的理论解释。我们的调查结果表明，与Twitter网络相比，大多数国家/地区仍具有更大的离线外交势力。但是，离线和在线网络的结构相似，这表明国家与同一组国家具有外交关系（无论是实体大使馆还是Twitter链接）。我们通过介绍各国之间数字化过程的差异来得出结论。