Satellite Mapping as an Instrument of Diplomatic Crisis Management

How does satellite imagery and analysis (SIA) facilitate or impede diplomatic crisis management? Crisis mapping, geospatial and crowd sourcing technologies have increasingly become essential tools in identifying patterns in humanitarian emergencies and preparing international responses. Little is understood, however, how these technologies shape the diplomatic dynamic during international crises. Drawing on cases involving the use of SIA in Syria, Iran and the situation in the South China Sea, the paper will examine the conditions under which SIA may prove effective in making and unmaking diplomatic alliances, fast-tracking or delaying international sanctions, or changing public perceptions of the nature of the crisis.