City Diplomacy

The contemporary globalization which is based on Post-Fordist Economy , was formed on the basis of informational capitalism, and has been differentiated from other concepts due to some characteristics like information economy, global economy, and network economic activities. The characteristics of post-Fordist Economy create a situation where capitals and productions are changed from place-based to spatial flexibility. In these circumstances, cities play the role of spatial support in social network and inside the post-Fordist Economy as new actors of transnational spaces. Metropolises are trying to provide parts of their expenses from the contemporary globalizing situation by using city diplomacy. Today, managements of metropolises are eager to be linked to world cities, not only to earn their management expenses, but also to create job opportunities for their citizens. And, this becomes evident through the city diplomacy. As such, it can be said that new actors of political geography in the 21 st century cities, the, are looking for their financial benefits. The current research deals questions such as: what are the contexts and how cities enter the transnational spaces as new players in the international system? Here, a descriptive - analytical research methodology has been applied. Finally, the paper considers the theory of Peter Taylor, a famous political geographers who theorized globalization, world cities network, the entrance and performance of metropolises in transnational spaces; for instance, new players in the framework of conceptual model.

Following the contemporary globalization process, cities have gained a strong presence in world politics, and by connecting to international urban networks, they play an effective role in the common interests of themselves and other urban actors. The current research aims to investigate the requirements of forming an international union of cities around the Persian Gulf by strengthening city diplomacy in the region with the benefit of a descriptive-analytical method. In this regard, the background of economic and social relations and the region's current situation have been investigated using reliable sources and articles. Finally, the model of city diplomacy in the Persian Gulf region has been presented. The research findings show that the cities of this region have moved in the direction of divergence despite the presence of many convergence factors, and the formation of an international urban union in the region will play an effective role in increasing convergence and greater peace in the region.