Emotional Governance in Multilateral Diplomacy: How International Organizations Mitigate Bias and Enable Resolution

Emotions are an essential feature of human cognition, sense-making, and behaviour. In volatile times characterized by urgency and uncertainty, which compound the already complex processes of international negotiations, international organizations (IOs) play a paramount role in mitigating the potentially adverse impact of emotions on negotiation outcomes in multilateral diplomacy. Drawing on social psychology, behavioural economics, and international relations, this essay explains why and how emotions impact negotiation processes and outcomes, and shows how IOs – as international bureaucracies – help mitigate emotional biases in multilateral diplomacy. Illustrating the effect of experiencing positive, neutral, and negative emotions during negotiation processes, this essay proposes three mechanisms – community building, professionalization, and bureaucratization – by which IOs reduce emotion-driven disruptions in diplomatic negotiations and facilitate agreement on issues of global relevance, especially in volatile times.