Diplomatic Theory of International Relations

Paul Sharp is Professor and Head of Political Science at the University of Minnesota, Duluth.

• Introduction; Part I. Traditions of International Thought and the Disappointment of Diplomacy: 1. Diplomacy and diplomats in the radical tradition; 2. Diplomacy and diplomats in the rational tradition; 3. Diplomacy and diplomats in the realist tradition; Part II. Elements of a Diplomatic Tradition of International Thought: 4. The diplomatic tradition: conditions and relations of separateness; 5. The diplomatic tradition: diplomacy, diplomats and international relations; Part III. Diplomatic Understanding and International Societies: 6. Using the international society idea; 7. Integration-disintegration; 8. Expansion-contraction; 9. Concentration-diffusion; Part IV. Thinking Diplomatically about International Issues: 10. Rogue state diplomacy; 11. Greedy company diplomacy; 12. Crazy religion diplomacy; 13. Dumb public diplomacy; Conclusion.

'This is a wise, humane, and fascinating account of diplomacy as a philosophy of conduct intended to enable peaceful relations between collectivities in a pluralistic world. Skeptical of grand claims and human perfectibility, diplomats seek to accommodate human differences by preferring live-and-let-live arrangements to definitive solutions. Paul Sharp has written a beautifully crafted book in the grand tradition of the English School, full of profound insights into the realities of international relations, that deserves to become a modern classic.' Raymond Cohen, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Boston College