Introduction

Abstract

The Introduction outlines the inter-penetration of literary and diplomatic cultures within European and some non-European diplomatic practices, emphasizing the wide-ranging and sophisticated ways in which early modern diplomats utilized literary motifs. It introduces readers to existing research within the emerging field of diplo-literary studies and those areas of the ‘new diplomatic history’ which are most pertinent to the core thematic focus of the collection. While situating contributions within this literature, it also outlines the collective methodological and theoretical import of the volume. Paying particular attention to literary representations of diplomacy, diplomacy, and translation, the diplomatic dissemination of texts, and the texts used in diplomatic practice, it draws out a series of findings for the field.

Ideologies of Diplomacy

“…23 Hence, the analysis of diplomatic practices and discourses that cuts across area studies in different disciplines can be particularly valuable as a corrective to one-sided views of diplomatic study. 24 This may be so, but because the areas of coverage are so vast and diverse -in terms of disciplines, genres, and geographiesdiplomatic research that attempts to draw together too many heterogeneous nodes can potentially spin off its own schematic model that replicates the shortcomings of New Historicism. While the global dimension of diplomatic cultural encounters tells us much about the sociopolitical, economic, and even religious exigencies in a particular region, they cannot be isolated from the contexts of their respective domestic spheres, where the fluidity of diplomatic thought and seemingly rigid and highly ritualized diplomatic practices are formulated, debated, adjusted, prescribed, and even undermined to reflect the prevailing ambitions and anxieties of a nation.…”