Diplomacy: Theory and Practice (POLS90047)

Diplomacy: Theory and Practice is an elective subject that will introduce students to theoretical and conceptual analyses of diplomacy, and investigates how these understandings shape diplomatic practice, and vice versa. We will examine how, if at all, diplomacy is currently changing within the context of new forms of global governance. Diplomacy is one of the core institutions of international society. The practice of diplomacy mediates relations between distinct political communities in the context of an anarchical international system. This course will thereby ask students to consider the following questions: what are the practices that comprise diplomacy? Are these practices historically variable, or do they represent an essence of relations between states? How do the different sites of diplomacy affect how diplomatic practice is conducted? With these central questions in mind, students will examine the interrelationship between spatio-temporal forms of diplomacy and distinctive aspects of diplomacy practice, from the sharp-end of coercive diplomacy and the organization of warfare to cultural exchanges and study programmes. Specific diplomatic practices covered will include public diplomacy, coercive diplomacy, track-two and track-three negotiations, cultural diplomacy, and classic bilateral and multilateral diplomacy.