The diplomacy of international policing: A case study of the New Zealand experience

Abstract

International policing is a phenomenon on the rise. Encompassing a range of activities such as transnational police liaison, response to disasters and post-conflict peace-building, such seemingly technical practices can have significant political implications. A consideration of New Zealand’s recent experiences provides an opportunity to examine some of the sites of promise and difficulty at play in the practice of international policing. Focusing on how international policing activities contribute to New Zealand’s national foreign policy objectives, this article also provides a useful lens through which to consider some of the broader sites of contention in this field.