Diplomatic tenses: A social evolutionary perspective on diplomacy (Key Studies in Diplomacy)

'Can Iver Neumann add something new to his already impressive oeuvre on the history and practices of diplomacy? Yes, he can: by analysing the history of diplomacy in terms of its social evolution. This book is a must-read not only for students of diplomacy, but for anyone interested in the innovative uses of evolutionary thought in the field of international relations.'
Mathias Albert, Professor of Political Science, Bielefeld University

'Neumann forcefully challenges a research field that has increasingly turned to micro-level and ethnographic examinations of diplomatic sites - in no small part due to Neumann's own earlier interventions. Diplomatic tenses raises fascinating questions about the value of very longue durée analyses, pre-historic archaeological data, the concept of tipping points and functionalist arguments for diplomatic studies.'
Ann Towns, Professor of Political Science, University of Gothenburg

Diplomatic tenses offers a bold alternative to existing histories of diplomacy by discussing change in terms of historic trends and 'tipping points'. It begins by exploring social evolution at the level of institutions, both diplomatic and consular. It then moves on to challenge the established treatment of diplomacy as a textual and élite concern, laying the groundwork for the study of visual diplomacy. The analysis is developed through chapters on 'presentability' and popular culture, including a case study of diplomacy in the Harry Potter series. The book concludes by identifying the future of diplomacy in a continued struggle between state-to-state diplomacy and diplomacy as networked global governance.