Diplomacy At The Highest Level

Diplomacy at the Highest Level provides the first comprehensive analysis of the theory and practice of international summitry. The implications of the increased involvement of political leaders in international diplomacy is analyzed through case-studies of specific meetings and types of summit representing a broad historical, geographic and political spectrum. The volume also explains the development of high-level meetings from pre-modern times until the present day, the increase in summitry in the twentieth century and the advantages and disadvantages of summits for international politics and diplomacy.

At a time when diplomatic practices and the demands imposed on diplomats are changing quite radically, and many foreign ministries feel they are being left behind, there is a need to understand the various forces that are affecting the profession. Diplomacy remains a salient activity in today's world in which the basic authoritative actor is still the state. At the same time, in some respects the practice of diplomacy is undergoing significant, even radical, changes to the context, tools, actors and domain of the trade. These changes spring from the changing nature of the state, the changing nature of the world order, and the interplay between them. One way of describing this is to say that we are seeing increased interaction between two forms of diplomacy, 'club diplomacy' and 'network diplomacy'. The former is based on a small number of players, a highly hierarchical structure, based largely on written communication and on low transparency; the latter is based on a much larger number of players (particularly of civil society), a flatter structure, a more significant oral component, and greater transparency. The Oxford Handbook of Modern Diplomacy is an authoritative reference tool for those studying and practicing modern diplomacy. It provides an up-to-date compendium of the latest developments in the field. Written by practitioners and scholars, the Handbook describes the elements of constancy and continuity and the changes that are affecting diplomacy. The Handbook goes further and gives insight to where the profession is headed in the future. Co-edited by three distinguished academics and former practitioners, the Handbook provides comprehensive analysis and description of the state of diplomacy in the 21st Century and is an essential resource for diplomats, practitioners and academics.

Fully revised and updated, this comprehensive guide to diplomacy explores the art of negotiating international agreements and the channels through which such activities occur when states are in diplomatic relations, and when they are not. This new edition includes chapters on secret intelligence and economic and commercial diplomacy.

The handbook delves into the shifting power dynamics in diplomacy, exploring the establishment of embassies in technology hubs, the challenges faced by foreign affairs departments in adapting to digital technologies, and the utilization of digital tools as a means of exerting influence.

This volume discusses how diplomacy’s contribution to the effectiveness of foreign policy has been undervalued in the United States by governments, the foreign policy community, and academics. Chapters raise awareness of the importance of American diplomacy, what it can and can’t achieve, and how it may be strengthened in the interests of international peace and security.

In a field dominated by the history and practices of Western states, Global Diplomacy expands the mainstream discourse on diplomacy to include non-Western states and states in all stages of development. By presenting a broader view of this crucial institution, this exciting text cultivates a more global understanding of the ways in which diplomacy is conducted in the world today and offers a new perspective on the ways it may continue to develop in the future. This book presents; a brief introduction to diplomatic practice, the classic diplomatic narrative, and different theories of diplomacy; an exploration of diplomacy over time and place through four types of diplomacy-political, cultural, economic, and military-discussed by guest authors who are experts in their respective fields; three new models of diplomatic interaction-Community, Transatlantic, and Relational-illustrated through the examples of the European Union, UK and US relations, and the rising powers of India and China.

Drawing on a host of recently declassified documents from the Reagan-Thatcher years, A Diplomatic Meeting: Reagan, Thatcher, and the Art of Summitry provides an innovative framework for understanding the development and nature of the special relationship between British prime minister Margaret Thatcher and American president Ronald Reagan, who were known as "political soulmates." James Cooper boldly challenges the popular conflation of the leaders' platforms, and proposes that Reagan and Thatcher's summitry highlighted unique features of domestic policy in their respective countries. Summits, therefore, were a significant opportunity for the two world leaders to further their own domestic agendas. Cooper uses the relationship between Reagan and Thatcher to demonstrate that summitry politics transcended any distinction between foreign policy and domestic politics—a major objective of Reagan and Thatcher as they sought to consolidate power and implement their domestic economic programs in a parallel quest to reverse notions of their countries' "decline." This unique and significant study about the making of the Reagan-Thatcher relationship uses their key meetings as an avenue to explore the fluidity between the domestic and international spheres, a perspective that is underappreciated in existing interpretations of the leaders' relationship and Anglo-American relations and, more broadly, in the field of international affairs.

Advances in the field of information and communication technologies have substantially affected most segments of our life, leading to the Information Age or Information Revolution. On both individual and state scale, 'information' has become a vital 'commodity' by which one measures levels of knowledge, skills, well-being, prosperity and development. This academic work traces the evolution of the Information Age and the emerging trends of diplomacy and politics in today's world. It signals potential opportunities and threats, while strategically forecasting current and future implications. Including three major chapters, the work is divided into eleven significant themes. It reviews the emergence of knowledge-based societies and highlights their main features. The course of globalization, the worldwide Internet development, the consequences of restricting the flow of information, and the Revolution in Military Affairs are among the issues examined. Also thoroughly treated is the evolution of diplomacy, with reference to information and intelligence gathering, analysis, and policy-making. The publication outlines the qualifications of diplomats and executives required at the present and coming stages of professionalism. In addition to examining contemporary traditional and non-traditional conflicts around the globe, it takes a look at U.S. hegemony policies in world affairs. Certain cultural and social issues directly linked to the Information Age are dealt with as well. They refer to the growing importance of culture and identity awareness in an era of increasing social interdependence, and to the global evolution of languages and their use in everyday life and in current affairs. The book concludes with a set of observations in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks on the United States. The observations point to particular notions and developments that influence our way of living, politics and diplomacy. Furthermore, specific analysis is made to the U.S. invasion in Iraq in March 2003 and to its consequences.