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Book review: Johan Verbeke’s Diplomacy in Practice: A critical approach

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This is a practitioner’s handbook for students; as Verbeke modestly remarks in his foreword, “this book informs students about the practice of modern diplomacy while simultaneously inviting them to critically reflect on it.” It is however much more than that: a fascinating reflection on diplomacy by a practician who is at the same time a scholar. Verbeke looks at four major themes: the organisation of diplomacy; a diplomat’s conceptual toolbox;  diplomacy’s first call: international peace and security; the normative framework of diplomacy. It should be mandatory reading for any aspiring diplomat, but it will also be read with profit by seasoned diplomats who want to take a fresh look at their trade, and indeed by anybody who is interested in international relations. The book contains many lessons for people working in the EU institutions, even those who do not directly work in the diplomatic area.

 

To read the full review, please visit Jim’s Reading Corner on TEPSA’s website.

 


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