New perspectives on diplomacy: a new theory and practice of diplomacy; New perspectives on diplomacy: contemporary diplomacy in action

If there is anything constant about the state of the world, it is that it is forever changing and evolving. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that one of the essential tools for managing it––diplomacy––has to adapt continually as well. In their diptych New perspectives on diplomacy, editors Jack Spence, Claire Yorke and Alastair Masser aim to provide insight into the diverse set of contemporary challenges that diplomacy faces, both in theory and in practice. With the international order in flux, diplomats remain indispensable, but the wide array of tasks they fulfil has vastly changed throughout the last couple of decades. Together, the books form an excellent first introduction into a wide range of diplomatic perspectives, specialisms and challenges––including COVID-19––that are deserving of further research. The two books both include ten chapters, with the first volume focusing on A new theory and practice of diplomacy and the second on Contemporary diplomacy in action. While it is not entirely clear what sets each collection apart, both are equally ambitious in scope. With chapters that focus on the ethics of diplomacy, coercive diplomacy, intelligence, emotions, counter-diplomacy and small state diplomacy, to name a few, the first volume provides an interesting and refreshing mix of focal areas. Additionally, the clear structure, where each chapter includes both a theoretical and practical subsection, makes for a pleasing read. However, the title of the volume suggests a more expansive focus on practice than the book currently offers. The inclusion of just one chapter written by a practitioner is somewhat disappointing, though nonetheless valuable. The second volume, Contemporary diplomacy in action, mirrors the same structure, with nine chapters provided by academics and one by a practitioner. With its focus on contemporary diplomacy in practice, the book nicely complements the first volume. Many of its topics were introduced in the initial book but had yet to be expanded on: environmental diplomacy, digitalization, publicization and the role of gender in diplomacy. Whereas the first book highlights trends, it is this second book that, for the most part, zooms in on current, topical challenges. Yet there is less cohesion in the second volume, with some chapters drawing on theoretical frameworks, and others providing a historical perspective or a case-study instead. Moreover, despite the focus on current challenges, various chapters highlight the traditional––though essential––role that diplomacy continues to fulfil in conflict and war, which perhaps betrays the background of the editors in War Studies. While these surely remain a staple of diplomacy, they do not necessarily offer an innovative or new perspective, contrary to what the title suggests. Still, the book certainly also provides space for contrasting opinions, which is demonstrated by the inclusion of Thomas Colley's and Francesca Granelli's contributions in the same volume, in which they focus on the role of citizens and social movements respectively. A recurring issue in the two volumes, however, is the lack of non-western or non-Anglo perspectives. Even when focusing on the importance of describing identity or summit diplomacy, this is mostly done through a US lens (see e.g.: Pablo de Orellana's and Barbara Zanchetta's chapters in A new theory and practice of diplomacy). Notable exceptions are the chapters on South Africa by Flavia Gasbarri and on small-state diplomacy by James Gow in A new theory and practice of diplomacy, and on the Russian concept of ‘information war’ by Ofer Fridman in Contemporary diplomacy in action. This is also alluded to by Negah Angha and Inga Kristina Trauthig in their chapter on ‘The Middle East and North Africa in the twenty-first century’. They explicitly qualify their approach as one that focuses on the western public diplomacy response to what happened in the region (Contemporary diplomacy in action, p. 79). Similarly, Bonnie Jenkins's valuable contribution on gender in diplomacy from her perspective as a practitioner is limited by its focus on US domestic agencies. This can, at times, result in the practitioner's perspectives reading as merely anecdotal, instead of indicative of general trends (Contemporary diplomacy in action, p. 213). Nevertheless, the two volumes of New perspectives on diplomacy explore a wide array of both new phenomena and challenges, as well as new areas of research within the field of diplomacy. Rather than providing generic arguments on the impact of such phenomena as globalization and digitalization, the various chapters zoom in on specific developments. In doing so, the volumes rightly draw attention to the diversification of issues, tasks, agency and actors. As Granelli succinctly concludes: ‘diplomacy must balance vertical and horizontal, formal and informal, tactical and strategic––and, moreover, do so in a space where secrecy is far from guaranteed’ (Contemporary diplomacy in action, p. 178). The recognition of both diplomacy's unchanged fundamentals and its forever changing context is well balanced. However, the volumes would benefit from a more outspoken focus on non-western and non-state actors, and more diversity in authorship. While Spence, Yorke and Masser acknowledge this in their conclusion, the chapters included could have been more reflective of the sentiment that ‘Western approaches to war and diplomacy are too restrictive’ (Contemporary diplomacy in action, p. 220). While the diptych's ambitious aim of highlighting diversification in ‘both theory and practice’ is simultaneously its shortcoming, it will certainly inspire innovative future research. In conclusion, this is a good introductory starting-point for scholars, practitioners and students with regard to the wide array of both traditional and new notions of diplomacy, and the challenges they face.