Gender and Diplomacy

This volume provides a detailed discussion of the role of women in diplomacy and a global narrative of their current and historical role within it. The last century has seen the Ministries of Foreign Affairs (MFAs) experience seismic shifts in their policies concerning the entry, role and agency of women within their institutional make-up. Despite these changes, and the promise that true gender equality offers to the diplomatic craft, the role of women in the diplomatic sphere continues to remain overlooked, and placed on the fringes of diplomatic scholarship. This volume brings together established scholars and experienced diplomatic practitioners in an attempt to unveil the story of women in diplomacy, in a context which is historical, theoretical and empirical. In line with feminist critical thought, the objective of this volume is to theorize and empirically demonstrate the understanding of diplomacy as a gendered practice and study. The aims of are three-fold: 1) expose and confront the gender of diplomacy; 2) shed light on the historical involvement of women in diplomatic practice in spite of systemic barriers and restrictions, with a focus on critical junctures of diplomatic institutional formation and the diplomatic entitlements which were created for women at these junctures; 3) examine the current state of women in diplomacy and evaluate the rate of progress towards a gender-even playing field on the basis thereof. This book will be of much interest to students of diplomacy studies, gender studies, foreign policy and international relations.

Jennifer Cassidy is a Doctoral Candidate in International Development at the University of Oxford, UK

Foreword, Mary Robinson Introduction: Analyzing the dynamics of modern diplomacy through a gender lens, Jennifer Cassidy and Sara Althari Part I: Getting to the Table: Historical Challenges and Reflections 1. Woman, gender and diplomacy: a historical survey, Helen McCarthy and James Southern 2. Alison Palmer's fight for sex and gender equity in the 20th century United States Foreign Service, Beatrice McKenzie 3. From marriage bar to gender equality: the experience of women in Ireland's Department of foreign affairs 1970-2000, Anne Barrington 4. Women of the South: engaging with the UN as a diplomatic manoeuvre, Devaki Jain PART II: At The Table: Broken Boundaries and Persisting Institutional Challenges 5. Towards a Feminist U.S. foreign policy? Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's diplomacy from 'soft power' to 'hard choices', Eric Blanchard 6. Gender, Status and Ambassador Appointments to Militarized and Violent Countries, Birgitta Niklasson and Ann Towns 7. Women In Foreign Lands: Women Diplomats And Host Country Cultures, Jane Marriott 8. Women in Global Economic Governance: Scaling the summits, Susan Rimmer 9. Becoming UN Women: A Journey in Realizing Rights and Gaining Global Recognition, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka 10. UNprecedented: Women's Leadership in Twenty-First Century Multilateral Diplomacy, Jessica Fliegel Conclusion: progress and policies towards a gender-even playing field,