The distinctive feature of this excellent collection is the way in which it combines the conventional, practice-oriented side of Diplomatic Studies with a very high level of theoretical sophistication and a cheerful openness to new approaches to diplomacy. The editors have assembled a stellar cast of authors and produced a book that deservedly will attract a wide readership both in the academy and in ministries of external affairs.
-- Chris Brown
Comprehensively global in its scope and ambition, this Sage Handbook will have great appeal for both scholars and practitioners. With its 53 chapters ranging in substance from the very traditional (e.g. the meaning of 'diplomatic relations') to the very modern (e.g. 'digital diplomacy' and 'celebrity diplomacy'), and in style from the relentlessly abstract (e.g. 'conceptualizing diplomatic agency') to the sharply empirical (e.g. 'improving embassy performance'), it has something for everyone in the international relations business, and deserves a place on all our shelves.
-- Professor Gareth Evans
At a time when global crises abound, the Sage Handbook of Diplomacy is a major contribution to our understanding of this profession so vital for a future of peace in the world.
-- Nicholas Burns
Occasionally an edited volume comes along that connects the ideas and questions of leading scholars with insights and suggested answers in ways that shine a bright light on changes in diplomacy theory and practice. Such volumes contain breadth and depth. They offer observable continuities with the past. They constructively analyze trends and conceptual categories. They reflect learning from diplomatic practice. Their systematic reflections illuminate and re-conceptualize diplomacy. The Sage Handbook of Diplomacy does all this and more. In their collection of sustained reflections on what it means to practice diplomacy today, the Editors provide a significant contribution to a literature in which there are few comparable compilations on offer... The Sage Handbook is institutionally priced, but its 53 essays offer good value. Thought provoking content. Abundant references. Blocks of summary key points throughout each chapter. For universities and foreign ministries it is a must buy. Scholars will find it worth the investment
-- Bruce Gregory
