What Diplomats Do

The Life and Work of Diplomats

By (author) Sir Brian Barder Foreword by Sir Ivor Roberts

Not available to order

Publication date:

22 July 2014

Length of book:

216 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN-13: 9781442226364

What do diplomats actually do? That is what this text seeks to answer by describing the various stages of a typical diplomat’s career. The book follows a fictional diplomat from his application to join the national diplomatic service through different postings at home and overseas, culminating with his appointment as ambassador and retirement. Each chapter contains case studies, based on the author’s thirty year experience as a diplomat, Ambassador, and High Commissioner. These illustrate such key issues as the role of the diplomat during emergency crises or working as part of a national delegation to a permanent conference as the United Nations. Rigorously academic in its coverage yet extremely lively and engaging, this unique work will serve as a primer to any students and junior diplomats wishing to grasp what the practice of diplomacy is actually like.

Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 The Candidate for a Diplomatic Career
Chapter 3 Arrival at a New Post
Chapter 4 Life in the Embassy
Chapter 5 Life Overseas
Chapter 6 Multilateral Diplomacy
Chapter 7 Diplomacy in a Hostile Country
Chapter 8 Dealing with Foreigners
Chapter 9 Dealing with the Foreign Ministry from Abroad
Chapter 10 Entertaining and Being Entertained
Chapter 11 Serving in the FCO at Home
Chapter 12 A Dog's Life for the Spouse and the Kids?
Chapter 13 Consular and Commercial Activities
Chapter 14 Looking Back: Reflections on the Diplomatic Career

Noone is better qualified to produce such a valuable account of what diplomats actually do. Sir Brian Barder’s diplomatic and political skills plus a first-class intellect took him to the senior ranks of Britain’s foreign service. What Diplomats Do fills a major gap in the diplomatic studies literature. I know of no comparable book, let alone one providing an insider’s view of what, from day to day, diplomats actually do, what this feels like, and what impact it has on the life of the diplomat and his or her family. I will be strongly recommending this most readable and interesting book as essential reading for all my diplomatic studies students.