Diplomatic History: A Very Short Introduction

Written by Joseph M. Siracusa

Narrated by Corinne Davies

Diplomatic history explores the management of relations between nation-states by the process of negotiations. From the diplomacy of the American Revolution, the diplomatic origins of the Great War and its aftermath, Versailles, and the personal summitry behind the night Stalin and Churchill Divided Europe, to George W. Bush and the Iraq War, and diplomacy in the age of globalization, the management of power relationships has had an immense impact on our recent history.

This Very Short Introduction updates the former Diplomacy: A Very Short Introduction and illustrates international diplomacy in action, exploring the changes in method at key historical junctures, and highlighting the very different demands that circumstances make on the practice of diplomats. Drawing on the case studies above, it makes sense of the way in which skillful diplomacy, as well as hubris, rashness, and excessive caution, can have important ramifications for the fate of nations. Based on the experiences of diplomatic history, it also locates the universal role of negotiations and identifies the key elements of success. As Joseph M. Siracusa shows, diplomacy was and is an indispensable element of statecraft, and without skillful diplomacy political success may remain elusive.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Nov 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9781666167764

Joseph M. Siracusa

Joseph M. Siracusa is Professor in Human Security and International Diplomacy and Discipline Head of Global Studies in the School of Global Studies, Social Science and Planning, at RMIT University, Australia where he is a specialist in American politics and global security.

Reviews for Diplomatic History

[L. H. · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

They should have done some editing and cut out all those breathers. As for the book's content, I would say there is too much history and too little diplomacy. The bit about American independence was interesting, but likely as boring to someone familiar with American history as the bit about WW1 was to me.