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.’
Table of Content
Preface
1. Notes on the Origins and Evolution of the Diplomatic Mission
2. Voices for Diplomacy: Statesmen, Diplomats, and Philosophers
3. Conventions and Rituals
4. The Diplomatic Forum
5. Credentials of Words
6. Diplomats and Their Milieu
7. The Courtiers of Civilization
8. Diplomacy Reconsidered
Notes
Bibliography
Index
About the author
Sasson Sofer is Professor of International Relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His books include
Zionism and the Foundations of Israeli Diplomacy and
Peacemaking in a Divided Society: Israel After Rabin.
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