Parliaments play a crucial role in global relations. Parliamentary diplomacy involves the relationships that parliamentarians or parliaments as institutions, have with other parliaments, parliamentarians and non-government actors to foster peace, democracy, understanding, dialogue, legitimacy and scrutiny of governments. Parliamentary diplomacy may be crucial for international cooperation in several matters, e.g trade, human rights and climate change. The role that gender plays in parliamentary diplomacy has not been studied in depth, a key power dynamic affecting relationships and outcomes. This project explores a ‘new' formal diplomatic parliamentary institution: the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly and wider informal practices to maintain relationships. It asks: how do parliamentary actors interpret parliamentary diplomacy, what gendered practices and processes are involved and what is the relationship between gender, parliamentary diplomacy and democracy.

2023

2027