Patchwork diplomacy: rethinking state-city relations in a multipolar world

This article connects the fields of geoeconomics, geopolitics and relational geography by introducing the concept of patchwork diplomacy, which critically explores the spatial interconnections between states and cities. We ask: How do the spatial relationships between states and cities affect how they handle geoeconomic and geopolitical tensions? And how do diplomatic spaces help them work together or compete? Patchwork diplomacy encourages researchers to move beyond traditional actor-based approaches to states and cities and instead explore the complex, evolving dynamics of their spatial interplay. Using the topological concepts of ‘cuts’ and ‘folds’, we trace the geohistorical development of patchwork diplomacy between the UK state and its two largest cities after London—Birmingham and Manchester—from the 19th century to the present. Through qualitative analysis of archival records, policy documents and discussions with policy practitioners, we explore how both cities leverage inclusive municipalism, multiscaled networks and diaspora ties to address differences with the UK state. The study uniquely highlights how these strategies enable cities to reorganize governance and spatial configurations to operate beyond state spaces, particularly in the context of the UK's post-Brexit ‘Global Britain’ and ‘Britain Reconnected’ agendas. The article contributes to political geography by advancing relational perspectives on state-city interactions, specifically how these relate to the evolving geoeconomic and geopolitical logics that shape state-building and foreign policy. It also underscores the critical public policy implications of patchwork diplomacy in an increasingly unpredictable multipolar world.