Prehistory: Origins of diplomacy and early ‘technologies’
When did diplomacy begin?
To find how diplomacy began, we need to go back to prehistoric times and look at the developments which nurtured proto-diplomacy.
Behavioral sciences show that cooperation and peaceful ...
Ancient Diplomacy: What can it teach us?
In the third session of our monthly Zoom series Diplomacy and Technology: A historical journey, a masterclass with Jovan Kurbalija, we focused on ancient diplomacy.
We started with the emergence of writing, one of ...
Ancient Greek diplomacy: Politics, new tools, and negotiation
Ancient Greece is considered the cradle of European civilisation. Greek notions of rational thought, argumentation, and competition are the foundation of the way we think today. As the renowned British philosopher A.N...
Byzantine diplomacy: The elixir of longevity
The term ‘Byzantine’ comes from the name of the ancient Greek city Byzantium which the Roman Emperor Constantine I (Constantine the Great) rebuilt and renamed Constantinople (present-day Istanbul), and in 330, mov...
Renaissance diplomacy: Compromise as a solution to conflict
The Renaissance (French: 'rebirth') was a period in European civilisation immediately following the Middle Ages. From the late 13th to the early 17th century, it brought a renewed interest in Classical learning, ...
The telegraph: How it changed diplomacy
The period between the end of Renaissance diplomacy (early 16th century) and the start of the golden age of diplomacy and technology (early 18th century) was shaped by the Reformation and religious wars. Central Europ...
Telephone diplomacy: Dialling the ‘red line’
The telephone, radio, and telegraph constitute the three most important inventions that have shaped communication up until today. The telegraph delinked communication from physical transportation and travelling, the t...
Radio and TV broadcasting: Diplomacy going live
This month, we will talk about radio and TV broadcasting and the influence it had on diplomacy.
The invention of wireless communication
Last month, we discussed the invention of wireless communications, the inventio...
Internet and social media: A focus on diplomacy
'My God, this is the end of diplomacy!'
This was the reported reaction of former British prime minister and foreign secretary Lord Palmerston upon receiving the first telegraph message in the 1850s. More recently, ...
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