The shape(s) of diplomacy: a dialogue between ancient and contemporary spaces of negotiation

University of Birmingham, 11-12 July 2023 

Funded by the British Academy Small Grant Award 

The traditional definition of diplomacy - the communication or dialogue between sovereign states in the negotiation of international relations - appears more and more untenable in a world where we observe frequent and ongoing disruptions and shifting power dynamics on global, regional and local scales. Moreover, it is one that does not readily map out the diplomatic practices on the ancient Mediterranean world, lacking as it did, permanent institutional structures for diplomacy.   

This British Academy funded workshop will examine the ways in which the study of ancient diplomatic practices and contemporary studies in diplomacy can share a dialogue about human negotiation in space, between ancient historians, geographers, International Relations experts.

Invited speakers:

• Dr Audrey Becker (Unversity of Lorraine)
• Professor Julian Clark (University of Birmingham)
• Professor Costas Constantinou (University of Cyprus)
• Professor Dr Enrique García Riaza (University of the Balearic Islands)
• Professor Fiona McConnell (University of Oxford)
• Professor Simon Rofe (University of Leeds)
• Professor Naoko Shimazu (Yale-NUS)
• Dr Ghislaine Stouder (University of Poitiers)
• Professor Elena Torregaray Pagola (University of the Basque Country)

Organiser: Dr Hannah Cornwell (University of Birmingham)