Diplomacy and the Making of World Politics

This book shows how changing diplomatic practices are central in explaining key dimensions of world politics, from law to war.

Ole Jacob Sending (Edited by), Vincent Pouliot (Edited by), Iver B. Neumann (Edited by)

9781107492004, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 20 August 2015

384 pages, 3 b/w illus. 1 table
22.9 x 15.2 x 2 cm, 0.51 kg

'A superb collection of essays which goes beyond proclaiming the insight that agents and structures are constituted by practice, and actually puts that insight to work to tell us new, interesting, and useful things about how diplomacy and governance actually operate.' Paul Sharp, University of Minnesota, Duluth

This book examines world politics through the lens of diplomatic practice. It argues that many global phenomena of our time, from the making of international law to the constitution of international public power, through humanitarianism and the maintenance of global hierarchies, are made possible and shaped by evolving forms of diplomacy. The study of diplomacy is largely dominated by firsthand accounts and historical treaties, with little effort at theoretical discussion. This book shows how diplomatic studies can benefit from more explicit theorizing, and argues that the study of world politics should pay more attention to what goes on in the diplomatic 'engine room' of international politics.

Introduction Ole Jacob Sending, Vincent Pouliot and Iver B. Neumann
Part I. Making of International Institutions: 1. International law and the politics of diplomacy Ian Hurd
2. Diplomacy, war, and world politics Tarak Barkawi
3. The practice of permanent representation to international organizations Vincent Pouliot
Part II. Making International Cooperation: 4. From representation to governing: diplomacy and the constitution of international public power Jennifer Mitzen
5. Institutionalizing peace and reconciliation diplomacy: third-party reconciliation as systems maintenance Iver B. Neumann
6. Christian ethics, actors, and diplomacy: mediating universalist pretentions Cecelia Lynch
Part III. Diplomacy as a Contested Terrain: 7. Diplomacy as economic consultancy Leonard Seabrooke
8. US military diplomacy in practice Captain Miriam Krieger, Lieutenant Commander Shannon L. C. Souma and Daniel H. Nexon
9. Diplomats and humanitarians in crisis governance Ole Jacob Sending
Conclusion. Relationalism: why diplomats find international relations theory strange Rebecca Adler-Nissen.

Subject Areas: International relations [JPS]