J.P. Singh presented his book Negotiation and the Global Information Economy to the New America Foundation on April 9th. Singh is an Associate Professor of Communication, Culture, & Technology at Georgetown University.

Singh discussed the potential of negotiation to succeed where competition of rational interests often fails. He argued that the shift in emerging economies, especially India, toward free trade and GATT rounds was the result of long negotiations that were not simply a matter of posturing and compromising interests, but exchanging ideas and brainstorming that helped Indian leadership see that free trade agreements are in their interests. Singh argued that this notion of negotiations as not merely strategic, but also collaborative must be a part of our negotiation strategies in the future.

Singh also explained that the topography of the international system is not sufficiently explained by the “world is flat” or hierarchical models. Rather he said it is merely a configuration that is structurally dependent on the interaction of major actors. Singh predicted that although there would never be a global government, collaborative, democratic and multilateral negotiations would result in better global governance and cooperation.

Steve Clemons led and mediated the question and answer session afterwards, which touched on topics regarding the impact of the telecommunications on negotiations and diplomacy, comparing bilateral and multilateral diplomacy in history, and the short comings of rational choice assumptions in game theory among many others.

--Event Summary by William Monroe, Intern, American Strategy Program, New America Foundation