The Courtiers of Civilization: A Study of Diplomacy

The Courtiers of Civilization: A Study of Diplomacy
ISBN-10
1438448937
ISBN-13
9781438448930
Category
Political Science
Pages
140
Language
English
Published
2013-12-01
Publisher
SUNY Press
Author
Sasson Sofer

Description

Comprehensive study of the diplomat and the diplomatic mission in Western civilization. The professional diplomat frequently takes a back seat in the public imagination to such figures as the great heads of state and leading military figures. In The Courtiers of Civilization, Sasson Sofer aims to restore the importance and reputation of the diplomat in Western civilization. Drawing on an exhaustive reading of the vast literature on diplomacy, from the late Renaissance forward, he fashions an engaging portrait of the diplomat’s milieu and lifestyle, his place in diplomatic rituals, and his role in international dialogue. Blending historical evidence, sociological analysis, and political thought, Sofer explores the vocational predicament faced by the diplomat, who must play many roles, including negotiator, honorable spy, horse trader, appeaser, and bureaucrat, while at the same time maneuvering in the world of rulers and warriors. Ultimately, the diplomat is a symbol of peace and a custodian of the virtues and norms of a civilized and functional international society—in sum a “courtier of civilization.”

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